Basil Morris

Major General Basil Moorhouse Morris, (19 December 1888 – 5 April 1975) was an Australian Army officer. He served in both the First and Second World Wars. In 1942, he was the Australian military administrator at Port Moresby at the start of the Imperial Japanese advance along the Kokoda Track after the invasion of Buna-Gona and successfully delayed the Japanese advance until units of the Second Australian Imperial Force arrived.

Early life Basil Morris was born on 19 December 1888 at East Melbourne, Victoria, to William Edward Morris and Clara Elizabeth, née French. Through his mother, he was related to Sir John French, a prominent banker in New South Wales. He was educated at the Melbourne Church of England Grammar School and after finishing school spent a year at the University of Melbourne while in residence at Trinity College. He joined the Melbourne Cavalry and was later commissioned into the Royal Australian Artillery on 1 December 1910. His older brother was Anglican priest William Perry French Morris, who founded Brisbane's Church of England Grammar School in 1912.

First World War Morris volunteered for the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) after the commencement of the First World War. He was promoted to lieutenant in May 1915 and was posted to 'O' Siege Brigade (soon to be designated 36th (Australian) Heavy Artillery Group). He served on the Western Front from February 1916, firstly with the 55th Battery of the 36th Heavy Artillery Group and then from November 1917 with the headquarters of the 5th Divisional Artillery. Promoted to major, from September 1918 he commanded 114th Howitzer Battery. He participated in the Hundred Days Offensive and for his leadership of his battery during this period he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He was also mentioned three times in despatches.

Interwar period Morris was discharged from the AIF after the war and returned to Australia in 1919. He chose to remain a professional soldier and transferred to the Staff Corps. He held a number of staff positions for the next several years.

Later life Morris retired from the army on 19 October 1946 and the following year, in recognition of his services in the Southwest Pacific during the war, was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He lived at Upper Beaconsfield, Victoria. He stood for the Victorian seat of Gippsland West in the 1947 and 1950 state elections for the Liberal Party, but was unsuccessful both times. He died on 5 April 1975 at Upper Beaconsfield and was cremated. He was survived by his wife, Audrey Lewis Cogan whom he married in 1921, and the couple's five daughters.