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Hector was the son of Hector Walker MURDOCH & Jane Margaret GRAY and was born on the 14th of March 1892 in Drayton Street, Bowden, SA.

His parents were married on the 5th of November 1876 in the Presbyterian Manse, Clare, SA.

His father was the son of John MURDOCH & Maria Jane ROWE and was born on the 26th of February 1855 in Young Street, Adelaide, SA.
His mother was the daughter of William GRAY & Sarah Johanna O’REILLY and was born on the 7th of July 1855 on Hill River Station, near Clare, SA.

Hector was the eighth child born into this family of 9 children.

His father was a wheelwright and blacksmith and the family lived in Drayton Street, Bowden.
By 1903 the family had moved to Coglin Street, Brompton and then later to Second Street, Brompton.

On leaving school Hector became a brick maker.

His father died on the 20th of January 1915 at Second Street, Brompton and they buried him in the West Terrace Cemetery.

At the age of 23, Hector and his brother John, decided to enlist into the AIF
On the 2nd of January 1915 they stood in line at the Oaklands Recruitment Depot and John was allotted the service number 1731 and Hector was allotted the service number 1732.

They were both posted to Base Depot Infantry and on the 1st of February they were transferred to 16th Battalion, 10th Reinforcements at Morphettville Camp.

The brothers embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A17 Port Lincoln on the 1st of April 1916 and disembarked in Alexandria.

After a few weeks training they embarked for Mudrus Harbour, Lemnos Island to join their Battalion at Gallipoli.
They both suffered from illness whilst on the Peninsula before they were withdrawn from the Peninsula and sailed to Alexandria for reorganisation and training.

On the 4th of January 1916, Hectors eldest brother; William Henry Walker, enlisted into the 32nd Battalion (2676).
On the 3rd of March 1916 Hector was transferred to the newly raised 48th Battalion and John joined him 12 days later.

Back in Australia their brother William embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on the 25th of March 1916 to join them in Egypt.

Hector and John then proceeded to France on the 2nd of June and then their brother William proceeded to France on the 20th of June to join the 32nd Battalion.

On the 6th of August 1916 John was Killed in Action on the Bapaume Road, near Pozieres and his body was never recovered.
Then on the 10th of December 1916 William was located at Le Transloy when the 32nd Battalion attacked Finch Trench.
During the attack William suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his head and was evacuated to the 2nd Canadian General Hospital in Treport.

William died on the 28th of December in the 2nd Canadian General Hospital in Treport from a brain abscess caused by his injury.
The death of William now meant that Hector was the only surviving son left in the family.

On the 31st of October 1917 Hector marched out of his Battalion and proceeded to England on detachment to AIF Headquarters in Tidworth and was then attached to Delhi Barracks.

Hector embarked for Australia on the 14th of December 1918 on board HT Burmah.
After spending Christmas 1918 on board the ship he disembarked in Melbourne on the 29th of January 1919 and entrained to Adelaide.

Hector was discharged from the AIF on the 4th of April 1919.

Hector married ADA MANN on the 12th of June 1920 in the Methodist Manse, Brompton, SA. Ada was 6 months pregnant when they married.
Ada was the daughter of John MANN and was born in Scotland in 1896.
She had arrived in South Australia as a domestic servant on the 11th of May 1914 on board the Irishman.

They made their first home in Brompton and welcomed their first child; John Hector, on the 15th of September 1920, followed by Viola Jane on the 30th of September 1921.

Jean Lydia was then born on the 2nd of August 1925, followed by Betty on the 1st of January 1928.

The family then moved to Belvidere, near Strathalbyn, where Hector gained employment as a farm labourer.
Unfortunately, Betty died 3 months later on the 18th of April in Strathalbyn.
Jessie Alma was the last child born into the family on the 1st of August 1929.

Ada died on the 11th of March 1939 in the Adelaide Hospital and Hector buried her the following day in the Hindmarsh Cemetery.

With the outbreak of WW2 his son enlisted into the 2/27th Battalion on the 1st of March 1941 (SX11570).

Following Ada’s death Hector moved his family to 79 Manton Street, Hindmarsh in 1941 and he gained employment as a labourer.

Doris enlisted into the RAAF on the 13th of September 1943 (111379).

Hector was admitted into the Adelaide Hospital on the 13th of March 1949.

Hector died the following day on the 14th of March 1949 in the Adelaide Hospital and was buried the following day in the Hindmarsh Cemetery; Section Eastern, N4.

MURDOCH.—On March 14, at hospital, Hector Ernest, husband of the late Ada Murdoch, of 79 Manton street, Hindmarsh, loving father of Jack, Viola, Doris, Jean and Jessie, and loving brother of Annie and Lydia. Age 56 years.

MURDOCH - THE FRIENDS of the late Mr. HECTOR ERNEST MURDOCH (late 48th Bn. 1st A.I.F) are respectfully informed that his Funeral will leave his late residence, 79 Manton street. Hindmarsh. THIS DAY (Tuesday) at 3pm for the Hindmarsh Cemetery
F.T ELLIOTT & SONS A.F.D.A
Funeral Directors

Military

At the age of 23, Hector and his brother John, decided to enlist into the AIF
On the 2nd of January 1915 they stood in line at the Oaklands Recruitment Depot and John was allotted the service number 1731 and Hector was allotted the service number 1732.
Hector listed his mother, of Second Street, Brompton, as his next of kin and John listed his only child; John Leonard as his next of kin and John was in the care of his sister, Mrs F Piller, of Chapman Street, Hindmarsh.

They were both posted to Base Depot Infantry and on the 1st of February they were transferred to 16th Battalion, 10th Reinforcements at Morphettville Camp.

The brothers embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A17 Port Lincoln on the 1st of April 1916 and disembarked in Alexandria.

After a few weeks training they embarked for Mudrus Harbour, Lemnos Island to join their Battalion at Gallipoli.
Whilst at Lemnos Island Hector suffered from Gonorrhoea and was hospitalised.
John joined the 16th Battalion at Gallipoli on the 2nd of June but Hector was evacuated back to Alexandria on board HS Franconia and admitted into the Isolation Hospital in Abbassia on the 8th of June.

He spent 8 days in hospital and was then discharged to training before embarking back to Lemnos Island and then he joined John and the 16th Battalion at Gallipoli on the 15th of July.
Hector, like so many others, suffered from gastric enteritis on the 27th of August and was admitted into the 4th Field Ambulance for 3 days.

On the 30th of September John suffered from Urethra Stricture and was evacuated to Lemnos Island.
Hector suffered from enteritis again on the 7th of November and was hospitalised for 12 days.

Hector and the 16th Battalion withdrew from the Peninsula on board HT Ascania on the 18th of December 1915 and after spending Christmas 1915 on board, they disembarked in Alexandria on the 30th of December.
Three days later Hector went AWOL for 3 days and was fined 10/-.

Back in Australia, on the 4th of January 1916, Hectors eldest brother; William Henry Walker, enlisted into the 32nd Battalion (2676).

Their first camp was near the Ismailia Railway Station, close to the Suez Canal.
Tents were not at first available, so waterproof sheets were requisitioned to provide cover at night.
After a few days without parades training commenced in earnest, including at first company and platoon field training, and later Battalion exercises and route marches, which latter were often undertaken at night.

They moved to Moascar on the 21st of January for Brigade training and Divisional exercise.

Hector went AWOL for 2 days on the 28th of January and was forfeited 3 days pay.
Six days later John rejoined Hector and the Battalion from hospital.
Then on the 23rd of February both brothers went AWOL for 1 day and when apprehended they were insolent towards the Officer and awarded 8 days Field Punishment No.2.
On the 27th of February the Battalion moved to the large Australian camp at Tel-el-Kebir.

On the 3rd of March 1916 a party of officers and men of the 16th Battalion, which included Hector, stood lined up on the parade-ground.
Altogether they numbered 4 officers and 350 of other ranks.
Colonel Pope of the 16th Battalion addressed the assembled men and with a blunt but sympathetic directness, he told them that they were leaving the 16th Battalion.

He said they were going on the strength of a new formation to be known as the 48th Battalion and they were all right good fellows whom he was very sorry to lose, but that the exigencies of the service demanded it.
Colonel Pope was quite certain that they would give a good account of themselves in their new unit and prove worthy of their old Battalion.

They then marched to another part of the camp where a working party had already erected two lines of tents.

The 48th Battalion was raised in early March 1916 as part of the "doubling" of the AIF. Roughly half of its new recruits were Gallipoli veterans from the 16th Battalion, and the other half, fresh reinforcements from Australia.

The 48th Battalion became known as the "Joan of Arc" (the Maid of Orleans) Battalion because it was "made of all Leanes" - it was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Ray Leane, his brother was the adjutant, and several other relatives were scattered throughout the Battalion.

Twelve days later, his brother John was transferred to the 48th Battalion with Hector.

Back in Australia their brother William embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on the 25th of March 1916 to join them in Egypt.

Towards the end of March the several Australian units camped at Tel-el -Kebir were under orders for employment on the defences of the Suez Canal.
On the 27th of March Hector, John and the 48th Battalion set out on their long journey of some 43 miles across the desert in the face of a blinding sand storm.
A camp at Serapeum, near the banks of the Suez Canal, was to be their resting place and training ground before occupying the front trenches.

On the 9th of April they moved 5 miles further into the desert and settled down to vigorous training, rifle exercises, infantry attack in artillery formation, and outpost duty.
Every day the monotonous routine of training went on, and every day Egypt's sun grew hotter.

On the 19th of May they moved back to camp at the railhead where preparations for France began in great earnest.
Eight days later they marched to Serapeum and on the 1st of June they entrained for Alexandria and Hector was appointed as a driver.
The arrived in Alexandria the following morning, embarked on HMT Caledonia and sailed for France 2 days later.

They disembarked in Marseilles on the 9th of June and entrained immediately for the north of France. The train journey lasted from 5pm on Friday till Monday morning and they travelled in cattle trucks to Bailleul and marched to billets at Merris.

In the farm-houses around Merris the Battalion had their first experience of billets.
But their introduction to billets was under the most unfavourable conditions. The barns and outhouses in which they slept were often very draughty, whilst for the remainder of the month of June the weather was cold and rain fell almost constantly. It was in marked contrast with the climate which they had left at the beginning of the month and many were soon suffered from colds.

Training was resumed and they attended different schools of instruction in bayonet fighting, bombing and sniping.
They were issued with shrapnel helmets for the first time and they were instructed how to use gas masks.

It was around this time that their brother William proceeded to France on the 20th of June.

On the 3rd of July they marched towards the sound of the guns and billeted at Doulieu before they crossed the river Lys at Sailly and relieved the 2nd Battalion at Fleurbaix for 6 days.
After they were relieved they moved back to Doulieu and then entrained for Berteaucourt and then Harponville.

Their brother William joined the 32nd Battalion at Bac-Saint-Maur on the 29th of July.

On the 1st of August they marched to Albert and bivouacked at Brickfields before moving to Tara Hill, Sausage Valley.
On the 5th of August they moved forward to take over the trenches on the Bapaume Road, near Pozieres.

It was during this moved that John was killed in Action on the 6th of August, on the Bapaume Road and his body was never recovered.

By late August they had moved to the front line at Mouquet Farm, near Albert, and they then spent September on the march to Herissart and Beauval before entraining from Doullens for Proven.
After detraining at Proven the marched 7 miles through Poperinghe to Connaught Camp and then moved to Queboc Camp, near Renninghelst, on the 18th.
Three days later they moved to Murrumbidgee Camp, near La Clytte and into a reserve position.

They spent October at Ridgewood and Vierstraat before being relieved by the 10th Queens Yeomanry and moved to Boerchepe and then into the Somme at Longpre.
On the 1st of November they moved to Berthencourt and then marched 8 miles to Vaux.
Their next move was to Flesselles and they were then embussed to Dernancourt and by mid November they were in Switch Trench at Flers.
When they were relieved on the 28th they moved to Mametz Huts for a rest before entraining at Willow Siding for Dernancourt on the 4th of December for training.

Whilst he was here his brother William was located at Le Transloy and on the 10th of December the 32nd Battalion attacked Finch Trench.
During the attack William suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his head and was evacuated to the 2nd Canadian General Hospital in Treport.

On the 17th of December Hector and his Battalion entrained for Flesselles for more training.
Hector spent Christmas 1916 here and 3 days later William died in the 2nd Canadian General Hospital in Treport from a brain abscess caused by his injury.
The death of William now meant that Hector was the only surviving son left in the family.

Hector and his Battalion marched to Franvillers on the 2nd of January 1917.

They then moved to Dernancourt and whilst here, on the 4th of January, Hector suffered from a Venereal Disease and was admitted into the 4th Australian Field Ambulance and transferred to the 36th Casualty Clearing Station at Heilly.
Four days later he was transferred to the 51st General Hospital in Etaples were he remained until he rejoined his Battalion on the 6th of March at Henecourt Wood, in training.

Hector was only here for 4 days when he suffered a relapse and was admitted into the 12th Australian Field Ambulance and transferred to the 1st South Midland Casualty Clearing Station at Edgehill, Dernancourt.
Seven days later he was transferred to the 51st General Hospital in Etaples on the 28th of March.
Hector spent a further 2 months here before he was discharged to the 4th ADBD (Australian Division Base Depot), in Le Havre, on the 5th of June.

He rejoined his Battalion on the 10th of October at Steenvoorde and that morning they marched to Abeele Station, entrained to Ypres and moved forward to Westhoek Ridge.
Their next major battle came here at Westhoek & Passchendale Ridge.
With three companies forward and one in reserve, they advanced steadily in their sector, taking over 200 prisoners. As the advance stalled on their left, they were caught in a German counterattack and suffered heavily, losing 369 men killed or wounded, out of the 621 men involved.

After this they moved to Halifax Camp, Brandhoek, for rest and reorganization.
On the 31st of October Hector marched out of his Battalion and proceeded to England on detachment to AIF Headquarters in Tidworth and was then attached to Delhi Barracks.
On the 22nd of May 1918 he went AWOL for 5 days and was forfeited 14 days pay.
He then suffered from Influenza on the 25th of June and was admitted into the Military Hospital for 3 days.

Hector went AWOL again on the 4th of November for a day and was forfeited 3 days pay.
He was detached from this duty on the 14th of December 1918 and embarked for Australia on board HT Burmah.
After spending Christmas 1918 on board the ship he disembarked in Melbourne on the 29th of January 1919 and entrained to Adelaide.

Hector was discharged from the AIF on the 4th of April 1919 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War & Victory Medals.