Douglas Morrell was born in Plymouth on 6 February 1917, but was adopted and baptised nearly a year later, on 9 January 1918, as Douglas Wellesley Morrell at Emmanuel, Compton Gifford, Plymouth, Devon.
Douglas Morrell was educated at Dauntsey's School in Wiltshire, and later at Faraday House in London, where he earned a bachelor of science (engineering) with honours, as well as a Gold Medal [REF].