Bill was born in 1925 at Fletcher Street Barracks where his father was Company Sergeant Major. He attended St Gregory's School and lived in Cemetery Road, Farnworth. He worked as a miner at Mosley Common, and first enlisted in 1942 - determined to follow in his father's military footsteps. He chose the Royal Marines and underwent eight months hard training at Stonehouse Barracks, Plymouth. He went on landing craft runs to Sicily, Salerno and Normandy, landing men on Sword Beach and later at Walcheren on the Dutch coast.
Bill ended the War in Singapore, and then joined the Scots Guards, where he served after the War in Malaya, helping to maintain peace. For his heroic actions during one patrol he was awarded the Military Medal for courage, endurance and leadership - the first ever to be won by a member of the regiment in peace time. He left the Army in 1969 and worked for a health foods firm until he retired in 1987. Bill's brother Jack Morgan also served in the Royal Marines.
 Full text of Bill's interview
 pdf version - 36k
A family at War...
My brother was in the Navy. Brother Jack was in the Marines, along with me, he was older than me but I joined a fortnight earlier. Tommy, Tommy was in the Navy, and a sister who was also in the Army in the ATS.
See the world...
First one (amphibious landing) was Sicily, Salerno, Normandy, Walcheren , out the Far East to Rangoon and on to Singapore. I finished up there at the end of the War. Then I joined The Guards - first place I went to was Singapore!
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