MURRAY, Charles
| Service Number: | 443 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 7th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Dec 1914: | Involvement Sergeant, 443, 7th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ayrshire embarkation_ship_number: A33 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1914: | Embarked Sergeant, 443, 7th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Ayrshire, Sydney |
Help us honour Charles Murray's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Aubrey Bairstow
Charles Murray from Edinburgh enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders aged 15 in July 1897. He stood 4 foot 9 and was described as appearing aged 14. He was also described as being quite heavily scarred. He served with the 2nd Battalion during the Boer War and was in South Africa from August 1901 to February 1903. He was court martialled in October 1902 for threatening violence and for insubordination – for which he was sentenced to 84 days. A court martial for drunkenness followed in 1904.
From February 1906 until September 1909 he was serving in India
In 1909 he was charged with drunkenness and was sentenced to 35 days detention and later 14 days for a similar offence. He was discharged in September 1909 whilst at Peshawar to embark for Australia. He had been serving in India and was involved the Bazar Valley and Mohmand Expedition on the North Western Frontier in 1908. The medal roll confirms he was entitled to an India General Service Medal although it likely wasn’t issued to him as he had discharged and moved to Australia. The medal rolls confirm his QSA. I added an un-named / erased IGS for display.
In 1913 he was serving with the Instructional Staff of the Australian Military Forces.
He enlisted in the 7th Light Horse in November 1914 and stated that he was a 32 year old clerk. Charles embarked in December 1914 and landed at Gallipoli on 8 July 1915. He was demoted from Lance Corporal at Gallipoli in July for refusing to obey an order.
Whilst at Gallipoli he began experiencing eyesight issues, for which he spent a period in England before returning to Gallipoli in October 1915. In May 1916 he was promoted to Squadron Sergeant Major. During his service in Egypt over 1916-17 he was court martialled twice for drunkenness and was subsequently reduced to the ranks. During his service his vision continued to cause him trouble.
He was discharged in September 1918.
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