Henry William Murray VC CMG DSO (1880-1966)

LT COL Henry William (Harry) "Mad Harry" Murray VC CMG DSO

Born 1 Dec 1880 in Evandale, Tasmania (Australia)

Ancestors

Son of Edward Kennedy Murray and Clarissa (Littler) Murray

Brother of Albert Edward Beresford Murray, Amy Clarissa (Murray) Adams, Jennie Gertrude Murray, Hannah Goodall (Murray) Cocker and Annie Summers Murray

Husband of Constance Sophia Cameron — married 13 Oct 1921 (to 11 Nov 1927) in Bollon, Queensland, Australia

Husband of Linda Ellen Purdon (Cameron) Murray — married 20 Nov 1927 in Auckland, New Zealand

Father of [private son (1930s - unknown)]

Died 7 Jan 1966 at age 85 in Miles, Queensland, Australia

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Profile last modified 30 Mar 2024 | Created 15 Apr 2015

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Biography

Harry Murray VC CMG DSO is Notable.

Lieutenant Colonel Harry Murray VC CMG DSO & Bar DCM was an Australian grazier, soldier, and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest decoration for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces. He is often described as the most highly decorated infantry soldier of the British Empire during the First World War.

Harry Murray VC CMG DSO was born in the Colony of Tasmania (1856-1900)

Harry Murray VC CMG DSO is an Anzac who served in World War One.

Henry William "Harry" Murray, son of farmer, Edward Murray, and his wife Clarissa Littler, was born on 1st December 1880, presumably at his parents' home in Clairville, near Evandale, Tasmania (Australia). ^[1] He was educated at Evandale State School. As a youth, he helped run the family farm. He was also interested in the military and joined the Tasmanian Field Artillery, in Launceston, as a militiaman. Harry moved to Western Australia at the age of 19 or 20, where he worked as a mail courier on the goldfields. By 1914 he was employing timber-cutters for the railways in the south west of Western Australia.

Gallipoli 1915

On 30th September 1914 in Perth, Henry Murray enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF), his young nation's all-volunteer expeditionary force for the (then) recently declared (First World) War. ^[2] He embarked for Egypt with the 16th Infantry Battalion on 22nd December 1914 in Melbourne aboard HMAT Ceramic A40, arriving in early February 1915. ^[3] On 25th April 1915, as a member of one of the 16th Battalion's two machine-gun crews, he landed at Ari Burnu, Gallipoli. ^[4] He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 12th May.

LT COL Harry Murray VC CMG DSO was wounded in action at Gallipoli (twice) and at France (twice) during The Great War.

Wounded by gunshot to his right knee, he was evacuated to Egypt on 13th May. Although the medical personnel wanted to evacuate him to Australia, Henry wanted to return to his men; getting his way he boarded a transport bound for Gallipoli. Once Henry Murray reached Gallipoli he was wounded again on the 8th July. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM); gazetted in London 5th August 1915 and Melbourne (then Australia's capital city) 28th October 1915. ^[5]^[6] In August he was firstly promoted to Sergeant, then commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and posted to the 13th Australian Infantry Battalion. ^[7]

After the Allied evacuation of Gallipoli in December and re-training in Egypt, Harry, now a Captain with the 13th Battalion was sent to Marseilles, France, and deployed to the Western Front. There, he defied the statistics, participating in each of his unit's major actions and surviving. On 13th July, the 13th Battalion was sent to Bailleul, and fought in the Battle of the Somme where he was twice more wounded.

He was appointed Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on 14th November 1916 for his part in the battle at Mouquet Farm. ^[8]^[9] After six weeks of recuperation, he returned to the battalion in France on 19th October 1916. On 4th January 1917, he was Mentioned in Despatches, equivalent to today's Commendation for Gallantry, ^[10] and again on 28th December 1917. ^[11] On 10th March 1917 Harry was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest decoration for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to members of the British and Commonwealth armed forces, ^[12]^[13]^[14] when the battalion, Acting Major Harry Murray commanding A Company, attacked the German position at Stormy Trench on 4-5th February 1917. ^[15]

London Gazette on 10th March 1917

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 March 1918, Harry was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and given command of the 4th Machine Gun Battalion. He remained in this position until the end of the war. In April, during the attack on Bullecourt, he was awarded a Bar to his Distinguished Service Order (that is, a second award). ^[16] In October 1918 he was awarded the French Croix de Guerre ^[17] and on 3rd June 1919 was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG). ^[18]^[19] Harry was Mentioned in Despatches a third (gazetted in London 31st December 1918 and Melbourne 23rd May 1919) ^[20] and a fourth time (gazetted in London 11th July 1919 and Melbourne 30th October that year). ^[21]

With the fighting over, Harry toured England studying agricultural methods. He commenced his voyage home on 26th November 1919, more than a year after the Armistice was signed, ^[2] and was subsequently discharged from the Army on 9th March 1920.

Harry was a farmer and pastoralist

Harry purchased a grazing property at Muckadilla, west of Roma in south western Queensland and, on 13th October 1921 at 41 years of age, wed estate agent Constance Cameron in Bollon, 250 kilometres south west of Muckadilla. ^[22] The marriage was an unhappy one, with the two parting ways in 1925 and Harry moving to New Zealand. On 11th November 1927, a decree nisi with Constance as the petitioner was granted on the grounds of desertion. Nine days later in the Registrar's Office, Auckland, New Zealand, 20th November 1927, Harry married Nellie Cameron, Constance's niece. ^[23] The couple returned to Queensland and in April 1928 purchased Glenlyon Station, Richmond, between Hughenden and Julia Creek, North Queensland, a 30,000 hectare (74,000 acre) grazing property where they lived for the rest of Harry's life. Harry and Nell subsequently had two children, a son and a daughter:

Douglas was born in 1930 and named after Lieutenant Colonel Douglas Grey Marks, Harry's commanding officer in the 13th Battalion from 1917 to 1918.
Clementine was born in 1934.

As a Victoria Cross recipient, Harrry was awarded the King George VI Coronation Medal in 1937.

Harry Murray VC CMG DSO is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Second Australian Imperial Force 1941-1942
26th Infantry Battalion

Harry Murray VC CMG DSO is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Australian Army Volunteer Defence Corps 1942-1944
23rd Regiment

Harry, then the Australian Army's most highly decorated soldier, again volunteered for military service when the Second World War began coming ominously threatening to Australia's north, being commissioned as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Second AIF on 5th September 1941. He scraped five years off his age (1880 birth to 1885) to aid being accepted. He was, after all, 59 years of age! ^[24]^[25] He was appointed commanding officer of the 26th (Militia) Battalion, 11th Brigade; tasked with re-raising the battalion with its Headquarters in Hughenden and companies based in Julia Creek, Winton, and Longreach in central northern Queensland. ^[26] In August 1942, at the height of the Japanese invasion threat but with the AIF's 6th and 7th Divisions now available for Australia's northern defence, he was appointed commanding officer of the 23rd Regiment, a special northern mounted unit of the Volunteer Defence Corps, based in Charters Towers. With the imminent threat of invasion subdued, Harry retired from active duty on 8th February 1944, his name being placed on the Reserve of Officers. ^[24]

In 1953 Harry was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal. He attended the VC centenary celebrations in London in 1956.

On 6th January 1966, aged 85 years, Harry and his wife were in a car accident in Miles, south western Queensland, in which he suffered broken ribs. He died the following day in Miles District Hospital due to shock and a weak heart, ^[27]^[28] and his remains interred at Mount Thompson Crematorium, in Brisbane's southern suburbs, with full military honours. ^[29]^[30] He was survived by Nell, and their son and daughter.

Thank you for your service, Harry Murray VC CMG DSO & Bar DCM