Eric Constantine MorrisonRemembered by Theresa Kilbride (daughter)
Photo © Morrison family
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My father Eric Morrison was born in Kingston, Jamaica on 16th March 1923. He enlisted in the West Indian RAF on September 20th 1944 to help "the mother country" Britain, fight during WW2. He came to England and was trained at RAF Hunmanby Moor, Filey, Yorkshire. After his training he was sent to RAF Fradley Aerodrome Lichfield Staffs, and became an Aircraft Hand.
Whilst he was stationed in Lichfield he met my mother. The RAF men used to walk or bike from Fradley Aerodrome into Lichfield. It was about three miles, and my Mom’s Aunty and family lived at the end of the lane that led into the outskirts of Lichfield. My Great Aunt used to take in washing for the RAF men and one day whilst my Mom was visiting her family, Dad arrived with his washing. He was demobbed on the 6th June 1946 and returned to Jamaica. However, in October 1946 he boarded the Royal Mail Cruiser Steamer, “The Atlantis”, and returned to Lichfield to marry my mother. They had six children together and many of Dad’s RAF friends who were stationed with him in Lichfield used to visit us at home. Dad was a carpenter before he enlisted into the RAF and when he came back to live in Lichfield he worked at a small factory called Hill Bros of Shenstone, near Lichfield. It was about three miles away and he used to walk into Lichfield to catch the local train to Shenstone, but later on he bought a little motorbike to get there. Dad was a very popular person and even set up a weekly club at the Lichfield Women's Institute Hall for people to visit and play music and dance. Unfortunately Mom and Dad divorced in 1957. My father then remarried and went to live in Nottingham and had three more children. After moving to Nottingham Dad became a welder and in his later years he worked at Boots the Chemist in the warehouse department. While living in Nottingham, Dad met many ex-West Indian RAF men and they eventually formed the Nottingham West Indian Combined Ex-Services Association in 1984. They had around forty members and met once a month on a Sunday in Long Eaton, Nottingham. However, in 2008, the Association laid down its Standard as many of their members had now passed away. Dad managed to go back to Jamaica twice to see some of his relatives - the last time was in 1983. Myself and my husband were lucky enough to visit Jamaica in 1999 but there were no relatives left. We had contact with an old family friend though and he was kind enough to show us where Dad and his family had lived. Dad passed away on the 10th December 1985 in West Bridgford, Nottingham, leaving nine children, twenty grandchildren, fourteen great grandchildren and one great great grandchild. Eric's service number was 715286. |