In April 1940, Pilot Officer Morris joined the newly-formed Fighter Interception Unit at Tangmere. Its function was to develop the use of airborne intercept radar (AI) for the interception of enemy aircraft at night and to devise the best tactics for using the equipment.
On the night of 23 July, the unit achieved success when a Blenheim of FIU took off from Tangmere and shot down a Do17 over the Channel, having intercepted it and gained a visual sighting using the new equipment.
According to Men of the Battle of Britain: “This was the first time that such a feat had been accomplished. The names of Flying Officer Ashfield, the pilot, and his two AI operators, Pilot Officer Morris and Sergeant Leyland, will never be found among the lists of the famous and yet what they did that night had a greater effect on the future of air warfare than anything else that occurred in the whole of that summer.”
Although trained as an observer, Morris flew operationally with FIU, operating the AI.
In September 1941 Morris became an instructor and then undertook control duties at Kenley.
Geoff Morris received a permanent commission in September 1945. He served in Palestine and held various staff appointments. His final posting was as OC RAF West Drayton.
On 29 May 1970 Morris retired from the RAF as a Wing Commander. He died in 2010.
