Alfred Warrington-Morris

Air Commodore Alfred Drummond Warrington-Morris, (18 December 1883 – 24 March 1962) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force during the first half of the 20th century.

Following his regular military service he became the second Commandant of the Observer Corps and commanded the corps through its adoption by RAF Fighter Command, the crucial operations during the Battle of Britain and the change to the Royal Observer Corps.

Military career Royal Navy Warrington-Morris joined the Royal Navy at the age of 15 in 1899 as a midshipman. He was promoted to sub-lieutenant on 18 December 1902 then to lieutenant in December 1904. In 1912 he was recorded as being a lieutenant commander studying at the Royal Navy Torpedo School .

Following his training, Warrington-Morris was posted as Torpedo Officer to , the RN Flagship East Indies Station with the rank of acting commander. In 1916 he transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service and was promoted commander on 30 June 1917 as a Senior Wireless Officer. He oversaw the move of HQ Observer Corps to RAF Bentley Priory and the corps' adoption by RAF Fighter Command. He also controlled the corps during the memorable events of the Battle of Britain and was still at the helm when the Observer Corps was granted the title 'Royal' prefix to become the Royal Observer Corps and became a uniformed branch of the RAF. He was Mentioned in Despatches in July 1940.

Warrington-Morris was a founder member of the RAF Rugby Union, which was formed at a meeting on 15 January 1920. He became the sole selector and Honorary Treasurer and was to hold the financial appointment, or others on the committee, until his death 42 years later, making him the longest-serving member of the Union.

Warrington-Morris was the Treasurer from the 1919–20 year until 1924–25, then again from 1933–1934 until 1956–57, and finally from 1958–1959 until 1961–62. He was also the chairman in 1923–1924 and 1924–25, then from 1927–1928 until 1932–33. During this time he rose in rank from wing commander to air commodore; "an extremely faithful servant of the RAFRU by anyone's standards".

On the day of his death, against doctors' orders, Warrington-Morris went to Twickenham and watched the RAF achieve a 19–14 victory over the army in a game of rugby. He collapsed and died on the way home from the match.

To mark his service, the RAFRU Committee named a new Inter-Station Shield competition trophy in his honour (The Warrington Morris Shield), and it is still played for to this day.