Kathleen Morrison

Kathleen Jane Morrison (Hallam) was born April 17, 1920, in Bolton, County of Lancashire, northwest of London, England. She was the youngest of two daughters of parents Frank and Gertrude Hallam, with sister Dorothy being nine years her senior. 

Both sisters enjoyed a wonderful childhood in the English countryside despite the bombing horrors and remnants of World War I throughout the area. 

A career in nursing was ingrained in Kathleen at an early age, following sister Dorothy into the noble and compassionate profession. Following three years of practical training in London area hospitals, Kathleen enlisted in Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service (QAIMNS).l

In July of 1944, QAIMNS personnel were the first women to arrive at the Normandy beachhead where they set up a general hospital behind the lines with a capacity for 600 wounded soldiers to be treated as a result of the D-Day invasion that was soon to be engaged.  

2nd Lieut. Kathleen Hallam was in charge of a 40 nurse regimental unit who tended to the  horrific injuries inflicted on countless allied soldiers during the successful invasion.

 As the war was nearing its end, Kathleen met her future husband, Moir Morrison, who was a Major with the famed Scottish 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders. Following the war, Kathleen and Moir were both hired by the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company with Moir serving in a security position and Kathleen as a company nurse. The two married in Iran shortly after arriving there and served their 3 1/2-year contract, then decided to make a fresh start. They moved to Canada in 1950 where Kathleen continued her nursing career. She began nursing at the newly built Port Perry hospital and then became head nurse at the Uxbridge Cottage Hospital when it opened in 1959.

Kathleen and Moir were blessed with four children, Michael, Jill, Ian and Mary. They lived in Uxbridge until Kathleen’s passing in 1982 and Moir’s in 2000.

Lest We Forget!