Lance Corporal Ruel Morgan

Ruel Morgan was born at Goodwood Park, South Australia, on 5 February 1893 to parents Thomas Morgan and Thirza Louisa Morgan (née Richards). Ruel was the eldest son of 13 children born between 1890 and 1907. Morgan's mother gave birth to quadruplets (two boys and two girls) in Adelaide in 1898 but they only survived for several days. This is possibly the earliest birth of quadruplets in South Australia; the first officially recorded birth of quadruplets in South Australia was not until 1919.
At an early age Morgan had a keen interest in music and in playing with brass bands, possibly influenced by his father, who was bandmaster of two local bands in Port Pirie, South Australia. Morgan developed into an accomplished instrumentalist and vocalist. He is recorded as performing a euphonium solo as early as 1906 as a member of the Telowie Band, and he took part in competitions in Ballarat, Victoria, as a solo cornet player. Morgan attended the Port Pirie public school and performed at the school’s annual concert in 1906.

In December 1908 Morgan passed elementary book-keeping examinations at the Port Pirie School of Mines. In July 1915 he applied for the position of Town Clerk for the town of Port Pirie; at the time of his enlistment, Morgan was employed as a clerk in the electrical branch of the Port Pirie Town Council.

Morgan enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Adelaide on 9 November 1916 and was attached to the 9th Reinforcements, 48th Battalion. Morgan embarked from Adelaide aboard the troopship Seang-Bee on 10 February 1917 and disembarked at Devonport, England, on 2 May 1917. From May 1917 to January 1918 Morgan was located at the 12th Training Battalion at Codford on the Salisbury Plain. In January 1918 Morgan was sent to France and taken on strength with the 48th Battalion, and was appointed temporary corporal, and then acting sergeant on 23 January 1918. Morgan remained with his unit in France until April 1919 and during this period was promoted to corporal on 7 November 1918 and lance sergeant on 12 March 1919. On 22 April 1919 Morgan returned to England and embarked for Australia aboard the troopship Port Napier on 12 May 1919.

Morgan was promoted to temporary sergeant for the duration of the voyage to Australia and acted as bandmaster for the musical performances undertaken aboard. During the voyage Morgan performed a cornet solo of “The Lost Chord” at a concert held on 25 May 1919 by the Napierrots Concert Party. Morgan repeated this solo performance at a further concert held on 7 June. and on 19 June performed a duet “Hap-Hazard No 9” with Jock Boyd, a crew member of the Port Napier.

Morgan disembarked at Adelaide on 26 May 1919 and was discharged on 6 August 1919.

Morgan married Dorothy Elizabeth Skewes at Port Pirie, South Australia, on 14 November 1919; the couple had no children. After their marriage the couple moved to Newcastle, New South Wales, followed by Morgan's parents in 1920. In 1919 Morgan established a boot and shoe business, Ruel Morgan & Co., in Newcastle and by December 1923 he was operating three stores, two located at Newcastle and one at Singleton. Morgan closed the Singleton store in July 1938. After Morgan’s death in 1947 the Newcastle business continued under new ownership using the same business name until it closed in October 1953. Morgan was a member of the United Grand Lodge of Freemasons and was appointed Worshipful Master of a local Newcastle lodge fraternity from about 1927.

Morgan continued with his cornet and vocal performances at various church, charitable and fund raising events and Anzac Day ceremonies in the years following his discharge. One event in February 1925 celebrated the first installation of electric light for the town of Stockton, New South Wales.

Ruel Morgan died at his home in Hamilton South, New South Wales, on 4 October 1947 at the age of 54.