Harry Murray
Harry Murray | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | "Mad Harry"[1] |
Born | Evandale, Tasmania | 1 December 1880
Died | 7 January 1966 Miles, Queensland | (aged 85)
Allegiance | Australia |
Service/ | Australian Army |
Years of service | 1902–1908 1914–1920 1939–1944 |
Rank | Lieutenant colonel |
Commands held | 23rd Queensland Regiment (1942–1944) 26th Battalion (1939–1942) 4th Machine Gun Battalion (1918–1919) |
Battles/wars | First World War
|
Awards | Mentioned in Despatches (4) (France)Croix de guerre |
Other work | Farmer |
Henry William Murray,
Born in
Returning to Australia in 1920, Murray eventually settled in Queensland, where he purchased the grazing farm that would be his home for the remainder of his life. Re-enlisting for service in the Second World War, he was appointed as commanding officer of the 26th (Militia) Battalion. Taking his discharge in 1944, Murray returned to his farm and died in 1966 at the age of 85.
Early life
Murray was born at Clairville, near Evandale, Tasmania, on 1 December 1880,[Note 1] the eighth of nine children of Edward Kennedy Murray, a farmer, and his wife Clarissa, née Littler. Descended from convicts on his father's side, Murray was baptised on 23 November 1885, and attended Evandale State School. When he was fourteen years of age, his parents withdrew him from school to work on the family farm. However, his mother continued his education, placing emphasis on English.[3] The family later moved to Northcote, near St Leonards, where Edward Murray died in 1904.[4] Harry Murray joined the Launceston Volunteer Artillery Corps in 1902, serving until 1908, when he migrated to Western Australia where his two older brothers had previously settled.[5]
Murray initially worked on his brother's wheat farm, before becoming a courier for a mining company at Kookynie, transporting gold and mail by bicycle or on horseback. He travelled the same track on a fortnightly basis, gaining a reputation for being a crack shot with a .32 carbine that he carried.[6] At the time of his enlistment in 1914, Murray was working near Manjimup, in the south west of Western Australia, employing timber cutters for the railways.[7]
First World War
Enlistment and training
Murray enlisted in the
On 21 November, the battalion entrained for
Gallipoli
The
Promoted to lance corporal on 12 May,[15] Murray was evacuated to Egypt eighteen days later, due to a gunshot wound to his right knee. His knee soon stiffened and he was posted to a hospital ship set to return to Australia. Murray, however, had other ideas and made his way to the wharf at Alexandria where he boarded a transport bound for Gallipoli.[16] Arriving at the peninsula on 3 July, both Murray and Black received the Distinguished Conduct Medal for their actions between 9–31 May,[17] during which time they tirelessly manned their machine gun, "inflict[ing] serious losses upon the enemy".[18] Murray was again wounded on 8 August when the machine gun section of the 4th Brigade covered the withdrawal after the attack on Hill 971. On 13 August, he was promoted to sergeant, commissioned as a second lieutenant and transferred to the 13th Battalion.[15]
Murray was again evacuated to Egypt on 26 September due to dysentery. After nearly six weeks in the 2nd Australian General Hospital at Ghezireh, he rejoined the 13th Battalion at Gallipoli on 7 December, before leaving for the last time in the Allied evacuation later that month.[19]
Returning to Egypt, the AIF expanded and was reorganised; the 13th Battalion was split and provided experienced soldiers for the 45th Battalion, while the 4th Brigade was combined with the 12th and 13th Brigades to form the
Western Front: June 1916 to April 1917
On 1 June 1916, the 13th Battalion embarked at
On 29 August, Murray commanded A Company—which consisted of fewer than one hundred men—in a successful attack that captured
Following a period of patrols and trench raids, the 13th was relieved by the 5th Battalion on 6 December, and marched back to Ribemont, where Murray was granted leave to England. On 4 January 1917, he was
On the night of 4–5 February 1917, the 13th Battalion—with Murray commanding A Company—attacked the German position at Stormy Trench. Preceded by a heavy artillery barrage,[29] A Company seized the right of the position after overcoming stiff resistance,[30] consolidating their gains by setting up a makeshift barricade.[15] The Germans counterattacked, prompting Murray to send an SOS signal to the artillery officer, calling for more support. Although repulsed, the Germans counterattacked twice more. On the third attack, Murray organised a twenty-man grenade bombing party and led them in a charge against their attackers, pushing them back to their original start line.[29] On another occasion when the company lost some ground, Murray rallied his men and retook it. Between midnight and 03:00, the company maintained spasmodic bombing, repelling further assaults with the aid of artillery support. By 20:00 on 5 February, the 16th Battalion relieved Murray's company, which had only 48 survivors from the 140 who had begun the attack.[30]
The full citation for Murray's Victoria Cross appeared in a supplement to the London Gazette on 10 March 1917, reading:[31]
War Office, 10th March, 1917
His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Officer and Non-Commissioned Officer: –
Capt. Henry William Murray, D.S.O., Aus. infy.
For most conspicuous bravery when in command of the right flank company in attack. He led his company to the assault with great skill and courage, and the position was quickly captured. Fighting of a very severe nature followed, and three heavy counter-attacks were beaten back, these successes being due to Captain Murray's wonderful work.
Throughout the night his company suffered heavy casualties through concentrated enemy shell fire, and on one occasion gave ground for a short way. This gallant officer rallied his command and saved the situation by sheer valour.
He made his presence felt throughout the line, encouraging his men, heading bombing parties, leading bayonet charges, and carrying wounded to places of safety.
His magnificent example inspired his men throughout.
In April 1917, the battalion relocated to
Western Front: April 1917 to repatriation, March 1920
After Bullecourt, the 4th Brigade withdrew to Ribemont, where reinforcements brought it up to strength. During this period, Murray oversaw musketry training before being granted convalescent leave to London in May. While in the capital, he was decorated with his Victoria Cross and Distinguished Service Order by
Following Passchendaele, the 4th Brigade spent three months in reserve. Murray became second in command of the 13th Battalion, frequently assuming temporary command of the unit while the commanding officer was absent. Granted leave to Paris from 12 January to 2 February 1918,[42] he was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel on 15 March and assumed command of the 4th Machine Gun Battalion.[43] Commanding the unit during the German spring offensive,[44] Murray's rank was confirmed on 24 May.[43]
On 25 June, Murray attended a conference at 4th Divisional Headquarters to discuss a proposed attack on
From 23 September to 3 October 1918, Murray was seconded to the Headquarters of the United States II Corps as a liaison officer with the 27th Division. The 27th Division, along with the 30th Division, had been attached to Lieutenant General Monash's Corps for the assault on the Bellicourt Tunnel of the Hindenburg Line.[47] During his service with the Americans, Murray was recommended for the United States' Distinguished Service Medal by the commander of the 27th, Major General John F. O'Ryan.[48] The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military, and in General O'Ryan's recommendation he stated that Murray's "... knowledge, activity and fearlessness ... assisted materially in the control of the attacking forces".[48]
The battle alongside the Americans was Murray's last of the war, as the Australians were placed in reserve in early October before the signing of the
From June to September 1919, Murray—along with fellow Australian Victoria Cross recipient
Between the wars
After his discharge, Murray moved north, buying a grazing property in south-eastern Queensland. On 13 October 1921, he married estate agent Constance Sophia Cameron at Bollon.[15] The marriage was an unhappy one, and the pair separated in 1925 when Murray went to New Zealand. On 11 November 1927, with Constance Murray as petitioner, a decree nisi with costs against Henry Murray was granted on the grounds of desertion. Nine days later, at the Auckland Registrar's Office, Murray married Ellen Perdon "Nell" Cameron; Constance's niece.[58] The couple returned to Queensland, and in April 1928 Murray bought Glenlyon station, Richmond, a 74,000 acre (29,947 ha) grazing property, where he lived for the rest of his life.[15]
The Murrays had two children. Their son Douglas, born in 1930, was named after Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Grey Marks, the commanding officer of the 13th Battalion from 1917 to 1918. In 1934, Nell gave birth to their second child, a girl named Clementine.[59] Between 1929 and 1939, Murray wrote fifteen articles for Reveille, the magazine of the New South Wales branch of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia (RSL), detailing several of his experiences during the First World War, and praising several of his comrades.[60]
Second World War and later life
On 21 July 1939, with the Second World War looming, Murray volunteered for military service and was appointed as commanding officer of the 26th (Militia) Battalion, 11th Brigade, based in Townsville; he was mobilised for full-time service on 21 October 1941. Murray's second-in-command of the unit during this time was Major Edgar Towner, who had additionally been decorated with the Victoria Cross in 1918.[61] The 26th became a unit of the Second Australian Imperial Force in 1942, and in August Murray was removed from his post by General Sir Thomas Blamey, Commander in Chief Australian Military Forces, on the grounds of his advancing age. He was instead appointed to command the 23rd Queensland Regiment, Volunteer Defence Corps, which he led until his retirement from active duty on 8 February 1944.[62][63]
With the outbreak of the
On 6 January 1966, Nell was driving the family car with Harry as a passenger; they were going to the south coast of Queensland for a holiday. A tyre blew out and the car rolled on the Leichhardt Highway near Condamine. Murray was taken to Miles District Hospital with broken ribs. He had had heart trouble for some time, and the shock of the accident is believed to have caused his death the following day. Murray was interred at Mount Thompson Crematorium with full military honours after a funeral service at St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Brisbane.[66]
In February 2006, Governor-General
Notes
- Footnotes
- ^ There has been much confusion over Murray's date of birth, which seems to have been caused by the man himself. Most publications claim his birth as 1 December 1884, which is the date he placed on his enlistment forms for the First World War and supplied to historian Charles Bean. Upon his enlistment for the Second World War, he gave his year of birth as 1885, and also placed differing years on his marriage certificates and the birth certificates for his children. However, according to Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 1 his birth certificate states 1 December 1880.
- Citations
- ^ Arthur 2005, p. 264.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 181.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 4–6.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 184.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 6.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 7.
- ^ "Lieutenant Colonel Henry William (Harry) Murray, VC, CMG, DSO & bar, DCM". Who's who in Australian Military History. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 8.
- ^ "16 Infantry Battalion" (PDF). First World War Embarkation Roll. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 9–11.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 11–12.
- ^ "16th Battalion". Australian military units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 17.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 19.
- ^ ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
- ^ Macklin 2008, pp. 64–65.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 28–29.
- ^ "Recommendation for H Murray to be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal" (PDF). Recommendations: First World War. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 38–42.
- ^ a b "13th Battalion". Australian military units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 49–53.
- ^ "Recommendation for Henry William Murray to be awarded a Distinguished Service Order" (PDF). Recommendations: First World War. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
- ^ "No. 29824". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 November 1916. p. 11043.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 67.
- ^ Macklin 2008, p. 68.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 69.
- ^ "No. 29890". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 January 1917. p. 255.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 73–75.
- ^ a b Gliddon 2000, p. 5.
- ^ a b c d Staunton 2005, p. 67.
- ^ "No. 29978". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 March 1917. p. 2451.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 94.
- ^ Gliddon 2000, p. 7.
- ^ a b Staunton 2005, p. 68.
- ^ Macklin 2008, p. 77.
- ^ "No. 30135". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 June 1917. p. 5980.
- ^ Gliddon 2000, p. 8.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 104.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 109–113.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 116–119.
- ^ "No. 30448". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1917. p. 13566.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 121–122.
- ^ a b c "Timeline of Lieutenant Colonel Henry William (Harry) Murray, VC, CMG, DSO & bar, DCM". Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 125–129.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 132–133.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 139–140.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 142–143.
- ^ a b "Recommendation for Lt Col. H. Murray to be awarded US Distinguished Service Medal" (PDF). Recommendations: First World War. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 142–144.
- ^ "No. 31109". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 January 1919. p. 314.
- ^ "Recommendation for Henry William Murray to be awarded a Croix de Guerre; France" (PDF). Recommendations: First World War. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
- ^ "No. 31370". The London Gazette. 30 May 1919. p. 6793.
- ^ "Recommendation for Henry William Murray to be awarded a Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George" (PDF). Recommendations: First World War. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
- ^ "No. 31448". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 July 1919. p. 8833.
- ^ "No. 31089". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1918. p. 15229.
- ^ "Arrival at Fremantle". The Daily News (Perth, WA : 1882–1950) (Third ed.). Perth: National Library of Australia. 19 December 1919. p. 5. Retrieved 22 August 2013.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 150–151.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 155.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 156–157.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 161–163.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 164–165.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 168–169.
- ^ "Murray, Henry William". World War II Nominal Roll. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, pp. 171–173.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 177.
- ^ Franki & Slatyer 2003, p. 178.
- ^ Michael Harris. "Memorial Unveiled". Army – The Soldier's Newspaper. Archived from the original on 25 August 2009. Retrieved 7 August 2008.
- ^ "A history of Caring". Hollywood Private Hospital. Archived from the original on 25 August 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2009.
References
- ISBN 0-330-49133-4.
- Franki, George; Slatyer, Clyde (2003). Mad Harry: Australia's Most Decorated Soldier. Sydney, New South Wales, Australia: Kangaroo Press. ISBN 0-7318-1188-7.
- Gliddon, Gerald (2000). Arras & Messines 1917. ISBN 0-905778-61-8.
- ISBN 978-1-74114-882-4.
- Staunton, Anthony (2005). Victoria Cross: Australia's Finest and the Battles they Fought. Prahran, Victoria, Australia: Hardie Grant Books. ISBN 1-74066-288-1.
Further reading
- Hatwell, Jeff (2005). No Ordinary Determination: Percy Black and Harry Murray of the First AIF. Fremantle, Western Australia: Fremantle Arts Centre Press. ISBN 1-920731-41-5.
External links
- "Henry William MURRAY". The AIF Project. Australian Defence Force Academy. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
- "Mad Harry Murray". Fifty Australians. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 7 August 2008.