Regimental number: 401723. Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 759 – 18. Date of Birth: 16/04/1897 at Wilkesport, Lambton Co., ON. Son of Mr. & Mrs. George David Bishop of Dresden, ON. A single farmer living on his father’s farm.  He was a member of the 24^th Kent Regt.

Attestation: 20 Sept. 1915 at Chatham, ON  to the 70^th Bn. LAC 

Age: 18 years, 5 Months, Height: 6’ , Girth: 39”, Complexion: Fair, Eyes: Blue, Hair: Light Brown. Medical 16/09/15 at Dresden, Kent Co. Birthmark right leg, Weight 160 – 165 lbs.  SOS to the 33^rd Battalion. 

Morden left Canada 13/03/16 and arrived in England aboard the S. S. Lapland 26/03/16. He transferred from 33^rd Batt. TOS with the 58^th Batt.  

Pte Bishop was admitted to the Military Hospital 25/02/16 with influenza and was discharged 2/03/21.

On 8/05/16 Morden landed in France on the14/05/16. He was awarded the Military Medal in the field 21/04/17 for bravery. (He won a bar for the second MM 8/03/19). It was reported in the book “Second To None” (pages 116 and 117) “ On February, 1917, Major Dougall Carmichael, Lieutenants, J. H. G. Strathy, A.T. Field and J. G. Gauld, and seven other ranks carried a small attack on an enemy position known as the ‘Letter Box’. The position on the east side of the Sheba’s Breast Crater had been attacked by artillery fire the previous month, but it had been rebuilt. The decision was made to blow it up with an explosive charge prepared by Private Waldron. Lieutenant Field and two scouts remained near the Canadian lines as a close-covering party.

Lieutenant Gauld and three privates remained in the middle of No Man’s  Land as a covering party.  Major Carmichael, Lieutenant Srathy and Private Bishop placed the charge of seven kilograms of gun cotton in the Letter Box despite being challenged by two enemy sentries. The charge exploded and the next day it was noted that the that the Letter Box had ceased to exist. The raid was successful and there were no casualties. Carmichael and Strathy were each awarded the Military Cross for their actions, and Pte. Morden Lou Bishop was awarded the Military Medal.     

He was promoted to Corporal 23/09/18. CRL awarded 2/06/18. He was promoted to the rank of Sgt. 4/10/18 along with the Distinguished Conduct Medal (#31128) and received on 16/02/19. 

For now Scout Sergeant Morden Lou Bishop was awarded the ‘Distinguished Conduct Medal for carrying out a reconnaissance during the attack and killing the four-man crew of a German machine gun positions. When he saw the post holding up the advance of the platoon, he crawled up behind it and shot the crew with his revolver.  

This was only the opening stage of the attack. The success of the operation assigned to the 58^th and 116^th opened the way for the 7^th Brigade to move into the attack.

He served in France for 35 months from 29/05/16 to February 1919 with the 58^th Batt.

He invalided to Canada on 0/09/19. He was charged 60 cents per day – loss due to VDS. Original treatment started Nov. 191830/06/19 Internment. 7/07/19 –  He had treatment on 10/07/17 OBS. 

Sgt. Bishop was hospitalized with a VDS Syphilis with a case sheet on record at Base Hospital 21/09/19. Treatment would be administered 22/09/19 to 23/12/1919 at Toronto, ON. He was discharged on 25/12/19.  He was confined to the Base Hospital. 

HIs date of discharge  was 29/12.1919.

Pte. Bishop went overseas with the 33rd battalion on Mar. 17, 1916 and crossed to France on May 4 and was posted to the 58th battalion.

He served as signaller, stretcher bearer and later scout.

In the spring of 1917 he was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery in the field and also won a stripe.

FROM FAMILY NOTES:

Morden was living at Lot 8, Cons. 2 of Camden Twsp. (Old Frank Tyhurst farm)

He served in France & Germany. (Germany not found in military records.)

He was decorated twice by King George V with Military Medal (MM) + Bar and Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) and a letter of commendation from the King.

Saw action at Vimy Ridge, Passchendale, Amiens etc. without being wounded.   

Morden attended the Canadian Corps School of Scouting and Sniping on the 22 March, 1918.  Here he was commended on being “good at judging distance, an expert shot, a good scout, and a useful man in the Intelligence section. Signed by Captain Armstrong and the Commandant Major McPherson of the school. 

He was discharged by reason of Medical Unfitness at the age of 22 years.    

Photo submitted by Kent Chambers.  This photo was featured in the Wallaceburg newspaper for the 100th Anniversary of the start of WW1.  He is 21 in this picture.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Awards	Distinguished Conduct Medal, MM
Sources	Kent Chambers
Supplemental Information	Mother: Mrs. George H. Bishop, Wilkesport

Height	6'
Weight	160 - 165 lbs. lbs
Eye Colour	Blue
Age	18 yrs. 5 mths.
Complexion	Fair
Hair	Light Brown
Race	white
Birthplace	Sombra Township
Religion	Baptist
Last Place of Employment	Mr. C. Elgin, Dresden
Marital Status	single
When Enlisted	Sept. 10, 1915
Where Enlisted	Dresden Ontario

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