James Dodds Morey

MOREY, James Dodds- – – SPC 1902-1905

DoB:- – c1890, Ballarat

Father:- – James Henry Morey

Mother:- – Sarah Janet Cottingham, nee Blunt

James Morey was a boarder at St Patrick’s, along with his brother, Edward Sydney Morey (SPC 1902-1905) who also enlisted in the AIF. In 1905 he passed the Examination of the Royal College of Music, in Piano. He was also a member of the Senior Football team in 1905.

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Service No:- 1093

Rank:- – Private, Driver

Unit:- – 13th Light Horse Regiment, 4th Field Ambulance Brigade

James Morey enlisted on 25 February 1915. He was 24 years and 11 months old, five feet, eight and a half inches tall, with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. He was unmarried and working as a farmer.

Private Morey embarked from Melbourne on 9 September aboard the Ballarat, and saw action on the Gallipoli Peninsula. By March 1916 he was at Zeitoun, Egypt and had been appointed Driver.

By May 1916, Driver Morey was in France, and was transferred between Calais and Etaples, presumably driving. His service record is very thin on details, but by 29 January 1919 he marched out to England to prepare for his return to Australia. He sailed for home on 7 April 1919, and was discharged from the AIF on 22 May 1919.

When James first returned to Australia, he lived briefly with his brother Edward at 61 Nimmo Street, Middle Park. However, electoral rolls reveal that by 1924, James had set himself up on a farm as an orchardist near Shepparton. He had also married Muriel Ida Corbett and they lived on a property listed on the electoral roll as Block 44, No 2 Settlement, Orrville, via Shepparton.

The couple remained in Shepparton their whole lives until at least 1980, after which James disappears from the electoral rolls. Both James and Muriel are buried in the Pine Lodge Cemetery, Shepparton. The College could not discover the date of James’ death, or if the couple had any children.