Life story: Thomas Murray | Lives of the First World War

Timeline

1885

birth Alwinton, Northumberland United Kingdom Source:7479234 8th January 1885

1910

education BA Theology University of Durham Durham United Kingdom Source:9607765 1910 - 1912

1910

employment Student University of Durham Durham United Kingdom Source:9607765 1910 - 1912

1911

marriage Dora Clark Source:9607765 19th December 1911

1912

children Katherine Eleanor Murray Source:9607765 30th March 1912

1912

employment Schoolmaster Wallasey Grammar School Wirral United Kingdom Source:9607765 1912 - 1914

1912

location 2, Vicarage Grove, Liscard, Wallasey United Kingdom their own address Source:9607765 1912 - 1914

1914

enlistment Wallasey United Kingdom Source:9607765 14th September 1914

1914

service British Army Captain Cheshire Regiment 11th Battalion Source:9542016 December 1914

1916

death Killed in Action See Research Report uploaded for extensive details. Thiepval France Source:7479234 Source:9542016 3rd July 1916

burial Thiepval Memorial CWGC Cemetery/Memorial Somme France Source:7479234

Details

Names

Type	Name
First Names	Thomas
Initials	T
Last Name	Murray
Source	3187445

Gender

Gender	Source
Male

Locations

Address	Country	Type	Date	Source
2, Vicarage Grove, Liscard, Wallasey	United Kingdom	their own address	1912 - 1914

Contribution

Military Service

Service	Number	Unit	Section	Rank	Source
British Army		Cheshire Regiment	11th Battalion	Captain

Family

Children

Name	Relationship	Dates	Source
Katherine Eleanor Murray	daughter	30th March 1912

Parents

Name	Relationship	Dates	Source
Eleanor Murray	mother
John Murray	father

Spouse

Name	Relationship	Dates	Source
Dora Clark	wife	19th December 1911

Physical

Complexion	Eyes	Hair	Source
Fresh	Grey	Light brown

Date	Height	Source
1914-09-14	6'0"

Media

Photograph of Thomas Murray, Capt, 11th Cheshire

Thomas in Captain's uniform.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.1 Introduction

Intro & photo

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.2 Early life

Early life of TM in Rothbury, family

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.3 School & War

War begins, photo of Staff vss Student football match, three masters here ended up leading three of the four companies of battalion, two were killled.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.4 Mentioned in Despatches

France, Somme, Despatches mention in War Diaries

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.5 Last night

Photo of Black Horse Bridge, description of movement of battalion and waiting for battle.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.6 Into the Trenches

Map of trenches taken from photo of public noticeboard in Authuille. Shows Campbell Road HQ where 11th Battn posted morning of attack.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.7 Map of battlefield

Relief map of sector and description of attack.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.8 Death

War Diary official account of fatal assault.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.9 Eyewitness account

Record of interview of eyewitness taken down after battle during investigation into "missing" status.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.10 Famous trench photo

Famous photo of 11th Cheshires in a captured trench a week after TM's death.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.11 Commemoration

Photo of Thiepval Memorial to the Missing. This part of the report looks at the commmemoration of TM by the author, TJA Layton, his great-grandson.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.12 Ghost map & first visit to Battlefield

Overlay of 1916 trench map onto modern satellite map plus story of great coincidence of friend's relative.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.13 Modern day Somme

View of battlefield from west, looking towards Thiepval Memorial from British sector. Story of centenary.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.14 Story of Somme visit

Walk around battlefield for "Battle's End" event at Thiepval Memorial.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.15 German trenches

Photos of German trenches discovered by accident in 2016 by Thiepval Memorial, coincidentally the ones the 11th Cheshires assaulted and where my ancestor died. That's me with his hipflask, returning after a century.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.16 Wallasey visit

Visit to old school where he worked, church where he rang, and dinner with Colin Bruce, archivist of WGS.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.17 Thiepval commemoration event

End of event, photo showing wreathes and view of slope up which they attacked. Photo of officers and NCO's in 1915.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.18 Thankyou's

Thanks to everyone who helped me.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.19 Photo W T Bugden

Photo of Private W T Bugden, 6th East Kent Regt, "The Buffs"

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.20 Photo J L-H W Abell

Newspaper article reporting death.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.21 Photo R L Aspinall

Newspaper reporting death of Colonel R L Aspinall, CO of 11th Battalion.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.22 Character reference

War Diary report of TM becoming trainer, plus lovely character reference in memoriam of TM.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.23 Rothbury visit

Some of my family visited Rothbury for the centenary, they dedicated their service to Thomas Murray.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.24

Article in newspaper about visit to Somme with hipflask, photo of Tommies in dug-out shelters by River Ancre.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.25 Commemorative booklet RBL

Cover of booklet handed out at Battle's End service at Thiepval Memorial.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.26

Captain Thomas Murray's engraved hipflask, left behind when he went over the top to his death, and returned to site of this a century later by descendant.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.27

Eyewitness account of orderly trying to save TM.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.28

Photo of letter of Dora Murray, widow, investigating fate of husband, including intriguing and upsetting detail.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.29

Photo of battle site and map of overall area.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.30 Medical Report

Medical on enlistment with personal details.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.31 Rothbury booklet 1

Page 1 of booklet kindly produced by Sandy Hunter and his Rothbury research team for the centenary service in Rothbury in 2016.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.32 Rothbury booklet

Page 2 of booklet kindly produced by Sandy Hunter and his Rothbury research team for the centenary service in Rothbury in 2016.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.33 Rothbury booklet

Page 3 of booklet kindly produced by Sandy Hunter and his Rothbury research team for the centenary service in Rothbury in 2016.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.34

Cover of booklet kindly produced by Sandy Hunter and his Rothbury research team for the centenary service in Rothbury in 2016.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Notes on Report

I uploaded the report page by page and then made some more edits, but I can't re-order them so I've just added the new versions at the end.

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.1 edited

Edited

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report p.16 edited

Edited

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Report - some more witness statements

Witness statements of death

Contributed by:
Tim95917
Telegram from War Office

First official correspondence from WO about TM missing.

Contributed by:
Tim95917

Communities

This person is not linked to any communities.

Evidence

IWM is not responsible for the content of external websites. Please note that some sources will require payment to view.

Official Records

Title	Connected by	More information
Medal Index Card
Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Casualty Records	Imperial1

No external evidence

Multimedia

Title	Connected by	More information
Photograph of Thomas Murray, Capt, 11th Cheshire	Tim95917
Report p.1 Introduction	Tim95917
Report p.2 Early life	Tim95917
Report p.3 School & War	Tim95917
Report p.4 Mentioned in Despatches	Tim95917
Report p.5 Last night	Tim95917
Report p.6 Into the Trenches	Tim95917
Report p.7 Map of battlefield	Tim95917
Report p.8 Death	Tim95917
Report p.9 Eyewitness account	Tim95917
Report p.10 Famous trench photo	Tim95917
Report p.11 Commemoration	Tim95917
Report p.12 Ghost map & first visit to Battlefield	Tim95917
Report p.13 Modern day Somme	Tim95917
Report p.14 Story of Somme visit	Tim95917
Report p.15 German trenches	Tim95917
Report p.16 Wallasey visit	Tim95917
Report p.17 Thiepval commemoration event	Tim95917
Report p.18 Thankyou's	Tim95917
Report p.19 Photo W T Bugden	Tim95917
Report p.20 Photo J L-H W Abell	Tim95917
Report p.21 Photo R L Aspinall	Tim95917
Report p.22 Character reference	Tim95917
Report p.23 Rothbury visit	Tim95917
Report p.24	Tim95917
Report p.25 Commemorative booklet RBL	Tim95917
Report p.26	Tim95917
Report p.27	Tim95917
Report p.28	Tim95917
Report p.29	Tim95917
Report p.30 Medical Report	Tim95917
Report p.31 Rothbury booklet 1	Tim95917
Report p.32 Rothbury booklet	Tim95917
Report p.33 Rothbury booklet	Tim95917
Report p.34	Tim95917
Notes on Report	Tim95917
Report p.1 edited	Tim95917
Report p.16 edited	Tim95917
Report - some more witness statements	Tim95917
Telegram from War Office	Tim95917

Stories

No related stories were found.

{{story._source.summary_title}}

{{story._source.description[0].value | trim:50}}

{{story._source.date.from.iso | displayDate}} - {{story._source.date.to.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.date.from.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.date.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.certainty.date.from.iso | displayDate}} - {{story._source.certainty.date.to.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.certainty.date.from.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.certainty.date.iso | displayDate}}

More about {{story._source.summary_title}}

We remember Thomas Murray

Also remembered by 2 people

Event Type	Event Icon
appointments
awards
birth
burial
children
commission
dates
death
discharge
education
employment
enlistment
events
hospitalisation
internment
location
marriage
missing
service
sibling
theatres

We remember Thomas Murray

We remember Thomas Murray

Also remembered by 2 people

Timeline

Timeline

1885

1910

1910

1911

1912

1912

1912

1914

1914

1916

Details

Details

Children

Parents

Spouse

Media

Media

Communities

Communities

Evidence

Evidence

Official Records

Multimedia

Stories

Stories

{{story._source.summary_title}}

We remember Thomas Murray