Morris Gelsthorpe

He was educated at The King's School, Canterbury and matriculated to Hatfield College, Durham (part of Durham University) as an arts student in October 1911. He was part of the same Hatfield cohort as Percy Fewtrell, later to become Dean of Hobart. He served on the Western Front in France, May 1915–September 1916, and April–September 1917; then in Mesopotamia, September 1917–January 1919. He received the Distinguished Service Order on attachment to the Machine Gun Corps and was twice mentioned in despatches. He finished the war with the rank of lieutenant colonel, despite his youthfulness. ==Ordained ministry==

After returning from the war, he returned to Durham University to study theology and was awarded a Licentiate of Theology (LTh). Gelsthorpe began his ecclesiastical career with a curacy at St Gabriel’s, Sunderland. In 1923 he became a CMS Missionary and moved to Awka in Colonial Nigeria. A popular minister in Sunderland, before his departure he received the gift of a watch from the committee of Sunderland Rugby Club. ==Personal==

Gelsthorpe claimed to have a 'special interest' in all athletics. He was particularly active in rugby and competed for Blackheath Rugby Club as a youth, later on representing Durham County during his university studies. ==Notes==