The reason Arthur Morrison earned the nickname ‘Snow White’
The following was included in the July 2000 Borehole Bulletin
37 Leslie Street,
Albany
2000
Now that our old mate, Arthur ‘Snow White’ Morrison has passed on, I would like to tell you how he got the name ‘Snow White.’ I joined the army with him and we eventually drafted to the 2/4th amongst the 1st reinforcements in Woodside, SA and as you know we then went to Darwin.
One day in Darwin we went for a swim and the tide was well out so we had a fair walk to get to water deep enough to swim.
After a fair while the tide started to come in, so we started to head for the beach, but Snow White stayed behind. We didn’t worry as we thought he could swim. But he couldn’t, so we went back for him. He was alright and could have got back to the beach on his own, but he was in a bit of a panic and had gone a bit white. So I named him ‘Snow White’ just for fun, but the name has stuck.
There were six of us on the beach, we all joined the army together and we were still together until we left Darwin.
WX15897 F.A. Toovey – died Hollywood Hospital 9 November 1945 (from wounds received February 1945, Singapore)
WX16214 F. Whittacker – died illness 6 August 1943 Hindaine, Burma-Thai Railway, Thailand
WX15905 E.J. Moir – died illness Kuii, Burma-Thai Railway, Thailand.
WX15872 L.C. Gray – KIA Singapore 12 February 1942.
WX15478 A.E. Morrison (Snow White) – RTA, died 2000 WA.
WX15893 S.E. Roots – RTA
I am the only one remaining. I hope to be at Snow White’s funeral but I have to carry oxygen and see will what I can organise.
Regards to all,
Ted Roots
Ted Roots did manage to attend his mates Snow White’s funeral at Katanning, however Ted died not long after in 2000. It is not difficult to imagine him telling this story while a family member wrote the letter on his behalf. Ted was in his 79th year.
From Singapore Ted went with Japan ‘B’ Party Korea. He was firstly at Keijo 25 Sept 1942 to 13 Sept 1943 and secondly, Konan (Carbide factory) from 14 Sept 1943 to 21 September 1945.
Read further about Ted’s POW life.
Below: Morrison and Roots
Below: Toovey and Ted Moir
Below: Gray and Whitacker
