Subject

Member of the ARP/Civil Defence Services - stretcher bearer.

Andrew Behan has kindly provided this research: David Arthur Morton-Holmes was born on 17 September 1909 in Belvedere, Kent, the second of the five children of David Morton-Holmes (1879-1953) and Mabel Emily Morton-Holmes, née McWhirter (1879-1940). His father was a cooper. He was baptised on 31 October 1909 at St Matthew's Church, Limehouse Fields, Tower Hamlets and the family were living at 21 Gertrude Road, Belvedere, Kent. 

The 1911 census shows him, his parents and elder sister, Grace Mabel Margaret Morton-Holmes (1904-1969), living at 2a Wallwood Street, Limehouse and they were still living there when the first of his brothers, Thomas William Edward Morton-Holmes (1911-1991) was born on 15 June 1911. His second brother, Robert Samuel Eugene Morton-Holmes (1913-2001), was born on 29 March 1913 and the third, John James Morton-Holmes (1914-1975), was born on 27 May 1914. Electoral registers for 1929 to 1931 show the family living at 30 Wells Street, Poplar. 

On 21 February 1932 he married Ivy Florence Marsh (1908-1976) at All Saints Church, Poplar and electoral registers for that year show them living at 74 Cotton Street, Poplar but from 1933 to 1937 they are both shown at 22 Grosvenor Buildings, Poplar. The 1939 England and Wales Register shows them both at 21 Grosvenor Buildings and records his occupation as a journeyman cooper. 

His mother died, aged 62 years, as result of enemy action on 7 September 1940 at Devas Street, Poplar. 

He was an A.R.P. Stretcher Bearer and died, aged 31 years, on 18 September 1940 when a high explosive bomb fell on Saunders Ness Road School, Isle of Dogs, London, E.14, that was being used as Auxiliary Fire Service Sub Station No.35U. He and his mother are both commemorated in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour, located near St. George's Chapel in Westminster Abbey.