Arthur Roy MORRISS
Known to all as "Digger"

Service Number: NZ404252
RNZAF Trade: Flight Mechanic, then Fitter IIE
Date of Enlistment: 8h of November 1940, aged 23 years old
Date of Demob: 4th of December 1945 (after 5 years, 26 days service)
Rank Achieved: Leading Aircraftsman
Flying Hours: nil
Operational Sorties: nil

Date of Birth: 2nd of May 1917, in Cambridge
Personal Details: Digger was the son of Thomas Moore (Tom) Morriss and Saremma Morriss of 8 Williams Street, Cambridge. He was the elder brother of another Cambridge airman, Cliff Morriss. He was educated at Cambridge District High School, where he spent three years in the school cadets from 1930-33.

He had begun his working life in Cambridge at D.L. Hastie's bicycle shop. He had also spent a period working for G.M. Craib of Williams Street in Cambridge. Digger later moved to Auckland and worked as a motorcycle mechanic for Skeates and White's of Fort Street, Auckland. By the time he volunteered to join the RNZAF his mechanical experience saw to it that he joined to train as a Flight Mechanic.

Another skill he possessed and noted upon his application for the RNZAF was Radio Servicing. This may have come about whilst working for Hasties who also sold radios.

On the 20th of May 1944 Digger was married in Auckland to miss Margaret Fowke of Remuera, at St Mark's Church in Remuera. Digger's best man was Harold Morriss of Cambridge and his brother LAC Cliff Morriss, then living at Whenuapai.

Digger later returned to bicycle repair, and remained so right up till just before his death, specialising in older and antique bikes. His son has now taken up the same skills learned from his father.

Details of Death: Died 7th March 2004, in Auckland
Buried at:

Connection with Cambridge: Digger was born and was a resident in Cambridge before the war.

Thanks To: The late Mrs Joan Epps, sister-in-law of Digger Morriss

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