Ian Morrison
Encyclopedia
Ian Ernest McLeavy Morrison (1913 – 12 August 1950) was an Australian journalist and war correspondent
for The Times
. He was one of the first journalists to be killed in the Korean War
. The Academy Award-nominated film Love is a Many-Splendored Thing is based on Morrison's experiences as a war correspondent in Hong Kong
.
in 1913 and educated at Winchester College
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, he was the son of Australian adventurer and war correspondent George Ernest Morrison
.
Morrison was an English professor at Sapporo, Japan's Hokkaido Imperial University until 1937, at which point he took the position of secretary to British Ambassador to Japan, Sir Robert Craigie
.
. During a November 1942 air raid
as part of the Battle of Buna-Gona
, Morrison was mildly injured. In December 1943, he was involved in a plane crash he was injured during an air raid on the Buna front in Papua, and in December 1943 he fractured his vertebrae and suffered head trauma as a result of a plane crash, telegraphing The Times.
He didn't return to combat journalism for seven months, and by the following December he had been shot once again, telegraphing The Times.
Morrison also wrote the following books related to the War:
Malayan Postscript (London: Faber and Faber Limited, 1942)
The War against Japan (London: Faber and Faber Limited, 1943)
Grandfather Longlegs, The Life and Gallant Death of Major H.P. Seagrim, G.C.,D.S.O (London:
Faber and Faber Limited, 1947)
In 1944 he published a 150-page pamphlet entitled This War with Japan.
. While there he had a love affair with local doctor Han Suyin
, a story which was told in the semi-biographical film, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
.
Previously, in 1941, Ian Morrison had married the Czechoslavakian Maria Neubauer in Hong Kong. The couple had met earlier in Shanghai. There were two children, Nicholas and Petra. In 1946, his brother, Colin, married Maria's sister, Steffi.
broke out in 1950 while Morrison was stationed in the Far East
with The Times
. He was re-assigned to cover the war, and published his first article from the front
on 10 July.
He died on 12 August, after he, Colonel M. K. Unni Nayar, and Christopher Buckley drove a jeep towards a destroyed North Korean tank, and struck a landmine en route, killing all three of them.
He and Buckley were buried together at a private mission
cemetery in Taegu with other correspondents acting as pallbearer
s. An American Guard of Honour
fired a salute, and the Last Post
was sounded.
His name is listed in the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents' Club
as a member killed in the line of duty.
War correspondent
A war correspondent is a journalist who covers stories firsthand from a war zone. In the 19th century they were also called Special Correspondents.-Methods:...
for The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. He was one of the first journalists to be killed in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. The Academy Award-nominated film Love is a Many-Splendored Thing is based on Morrison's experiences as a war correspondent in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
.
Early career
Born in PekingBeijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
in 1913 and educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, he was the son of Australian adventurer and war correspondent George Ernest Morrison
George Ernest Morrison
George Ernest Morrison , also known as Chinese Morrison, was an Australian adventurer and The Times Peking correspondent.-Early life:...
.
Morrison was an English professor at Sapporo, Japan's Hokkaido Imperial University until 1937, at which point he took the position of secretary to British Ambassador to Japan, Sir Robert Craigie
Robert Craigie (diplomat)
Sir Robert Craigie GCMG, CB was the British ambassador in Japan from 1937 through 1941.-Career as Ambassador:In July 1939 took part in negotiations with Japanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Hachiro Arita, leading to the acceptance of the Craigie-Arita formula, by which the British government...
.
Second World War
Morrison covered the Pacific Front of the Second World War, being promoted from a freelance contributor, to a full-time staff correspondent at The Times. He covered the Battle of SingaporeBattle of Singapore
The Battle of Singapore was fought in the South-East Asian theatre of the Second World War when the Empire of Japan invaded the Allied stronghold of Singapore. Singapore was the major British military base in Southeast Asia and nicknamed the "Gibraltar of the East"...
. During a November 1942 air raid
Airstrike
An air strike is an attack on a specific objective by military aircraft during an offensive mission. Air strikes are commonly delivered from aircraft such as fighters, bombers, ground attack aircraft, attack helicopters, and others...
as part of the Battle of Buna-Gona
Battle of Buna-Gona
The Battle of Buna–Gona was a battle in the New Guinea campaign, a major part of the Pacific campaign of World War II. On 16 November 1942, Australian and United States forces attacked the main Japanese beachheads in New Guinea, at Buna, Sanananda and Gona. Both forces were riddled by disease and...
, Morrison was mildly injured. In December 1943, he was involved in a plane crash he was injured during an air raid on the Buna front in Papua, and in December 1943 he fractured his vertebrae and suffered head trauma as a result of a plane crash, telegraphing The Times.
Regret involved in airplane accident enroute obtain eyewitness operational full stop hospitalised injuries seriouser than yestertime hope recover soon Dickson Brown newschronicler kindly consented cover next three days thereafter Curthoys sorry disappoint you good story
He didn't return to combat journalism for seven months, and by the following December he had been shot once again, telegraphing The Times.
Left hospital today. Thumb, in which fragments of Dutch bullet are lodged, will take at least a fortnight to heal up, but hope to resume filing about Thursday. Another bullet grazed side without doing any damage.
Morrison also wrote the following books related to the War:
Malayan Postscript (London: Faber and Faber Limited, 1942)
The War against Japan (London: Faber and Faber Limited, 1943)
Grandfather Longlegs, The Life and Gallant Death of Major H.P. Seagrim, G.C.,D.S.O (London:
Faber and Faber Limited, 1947)
In 1944 he published a 150-page pamphlet entitled This War with Japan.
Between the Wars
He continued as a correspondent for The Times, stationed in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
. While there he had a love affair with local doctor Han Suyin
Han Suyin
Han Suyin , is the pen name of Elizabeth Comber, born Rosalie Elisabeth Kuanghu Chow . She is a Chinese-born Eurasian author of several books on modern China, novels set in East Asia, and autobiographical works, as well as a physician...
, a story which was told in the semi-biographical film, Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing (film)
Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing is a 1955 American drama-romance film. Set in 1949-50 Hong Kong, it tells the story of a married, but separated, American reporter , who falls in love with a Eurasian doctor originally from China , only to encounter prejudice from her family and from Hong Kong...
.
Previously, in 1941, Ian Morrison had married the Czechoslavakian Maria Neubauer in Hong Kong. The couple had met earlier in Shanghai. There were two children, Nicholas and Petra. In 1946, his brother, Colin, married Maria's sister, Steffi.
Korean War
The Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
broke out in 1950 while Morrison was stationed in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
with The Times
The Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
. He was re-assigned to cover the war, and published his first article from the front
Front (military)
A military front or battlefront is a contested armed frontier between opposing forces. This can be a local or tactical front, or it can range to a theater...
on 10 July.
He died on 12 August, after he, Colonel M. K. Unni Nayar, and Christopher Buckley drove a jeep towards a destroyed North Korean tank, and struck a landmine en route, killing all three of them.
He and Buckley were buried together at a private mission
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
cemetery in Taegu with other correspondents acting as pallbearer
Pallbearer
A pall-bearer is one of several funeral participants who helps carry the casket of a deceased person from a religious or memorial service or viewing either directly to a cemetery or mausoleum, or to and from the hearse which carries the coffin....
s. An American Guard of Honour
Guard of Honor
Guard of Honor is a Pulitzer Prize winning novel by James Gould Cozzens published in 1948. The novel is set during World War II, with most of the action occurring on or near a fictional Army Air Forces base in central Florida. The action occurs over a period of approximately 48 hours...
fired a salute, and the Last Post
Last Post
The "Last Post" can be either a B♭ bugle call within British Infantry regiments or an E♭ cavalry trumpet call in British Cavalry and Royal Regiment of Artillery used at Commonwealth military funerals and ceremonies commemorating those who have been killed in war.The two regimental traditions have...
was sounded.
His name is listed in the Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents' Club
Foreign Correspondents' Club
Foreign Correspondents' Club is a group of clubs for foreign correspondents and other journalists. Some clubs are members only, and some are open to the public.-Hong Kong:...
as a member killed in the line of duty.