Description
Book SynopsisThomas Henry Morgan was born into a musical mining family at end of the nineteenth century. At twelve he followed his father down the pit, and at sixteen fought as a boy soldier in the First World War. Adding to the astonishing fact that more boys under eighteen (like Tom) were serving at the end of 1915, than in the entire force Wellington took to Waterloo! Serving as a Colour Sergeant in the Second, he was captured in North Africa at the fall of Tobruk imprisoned with some top ranking generals in Castello di Vincigliata near Florence. He escaped but later captured and transported to Stalag VIIA in Bavaria where he met the actor Derek Bond. Pre-war he wrote the music to the Welsh standard âWeâll keep a Welcomeâ and postâwar sang in the chorus of Idloes Owenâs fledgling Welsh National Opera Company. Another WNO artist Mollie Hair Russell, one-time principal dancer and soprano, recalled Tom fifty years later as âa big, rugged, handsome manâ¦great fun to work withâ. He summed up his own philosophy as: âLife ainât all yer wants but, itâs all yer âaves, Stick a geranium in yer âat and be âappyâ
