Murray

Enlisted mess cook/orderly

Mentioned: 1917, 1918

Joins Robertson's mess on October 6, 1917, introduced in the same breath as a fellow officer, Tryon, but Murray's own subsequent thread reads completely differently: card tricks and evenings at the club through that fall, then, in January 1918, detailed to take over the mess's cooking, briefly relieved by another officer while on leave, and handed 14 days' Field Punishment No. 1 (a punishment reserved for Other Ranks, not officers) after coming back from his own "reinstatement" celebrations the worse for wear. From there he's a steady presence through 1918 (running errands into Aubigny, arranging a billet for a visiting guest, helping with detrainments) until July 7, when Robertson notes that another officer, Fox, is trying to poach "the boy" as an orderly room clerk. A different person from Robertson's own family nickname (his cousins called him "Murray" too, see Uncle Jim's Murray) and from an isolated April 17, 1917 note about a "Murray" in "#2 sec." who "shot himself," which has no narrative connection to this recurring figure.

Appears in the diary · 39 entries

1917

6 October 1917Murray and Tryon joined the mess.
10 October 1917… Was going to Corps this aft only he took the sidecar + went to Beugin, so I hopped the 3.20 + went to Aubigny with Murray. – Tea'd at the R.T.O.'s mess. – Met Collins and – Purchased fish. – Great excitement com …
11 November 1917… re press and watched them knock a few off. – Capt. Laurie & Salmond came in to tea and stayed to dinner after which Murray performed some more of his wonderful card tricks. – C.C.H.Q. should be back in a week.
12 November 1917… on up front. – Fairly heavy about dusk – Either there is some activity or the people in the line are a windy lot – Murray expected a friend to dinner. (Tobin - R.T.O. - Aubigny) but as he didn't turn up they are …
13 November 1917… to lunch. – I like Allen. – He's a pukka English gentleman I should think. Sewell also came up to lunch. The O.C. & Murray went back to Aubigny with A&S. – Brought back a load, oysters & fish. – Took a run over t …
14 November 1917… erguson. – Drove me over to Viller + I walked back. – No mail. Tobin, R.T.O. Aubigny came down to dinner. – We made Murray change his seat to advantage. Winter went on leave. -2
15 November 1917… up too early. Wandered in the yard and listened to Bridges ravings till I got fed up so went over to the club with Murray. – Saw the cas. list in the times. – Bill Morris & Jack Almon both gone west. – McCartney …
16 November 1917… ist. – Letter from Pete says it is a Blitey. – Also said old Bowles died of wounds. I hope it is a mistake. Some of Murrays old crowd in this aft. –They are moving too. – Of course every outfit that moves these d …
17 November 1917Fine. Got off some much delayed mail home. Visited the club with Murray & Eddy at noon. Junkin came in to lunch. – Took Peake's nag out again this aft. – Went ov …
20 November 1917… & Ormy Stitt blew in this aft. with a repetition of the yarn adding 400 tanks, – cavalry – and flocks of prisoners. Murray went out to dinner with his old crowd so the rest of us wrote letters this eve’g. Malcolm …
21 November 1917… iving all my time to Conan Doyle and his history of the war. Eddy got away to-night after a heartbreaking farewell. Murray has brought up a pal. – Capt. Burt of the Civil Services Rifles to spend the night.
24 November 1917… ing. – Sam played & Mel sang. Called at the club on the way back it gets quite a lot of patronage. – Also called on Murray.
26 November 1917… Wind Pretty near froze before Cooper got the fire lit this A.M. – Nothing much else to report. Went to MAROEIL with Murray & tramped back. No mail. – Held down a chair by the fire. Turning to rain to-night
27 November 1917… o the yard. – Hard to write a letter full of Christmas spirit on a rainy day in Nov. Gus came down to tea & dinner. Murray's friend Burt blew in again with another chap in time for dinner & we are putting them up …
30 November 1917… week this month. Capt. Watt (12th F.C.) came in with Laurie and stayed to dinner. – L. had his usual luck. – So did Murray. Watt says a lot of the 5th Div. people are coming out & exchanging with people out here. …
5 December 1917Cold. Taking over from the O.C. - A R.E. Major chap that Murray brought up to tea says that we killed plenty of Bosche in the Cambrai stunt & ensuing cou …
7 December 1917… inefficients who are being shipped. – Cpl. Norman going on leave. – Got his cheques. – 10 carloads of stuff in. – – Murray went out & got pie-eyed at noon & came tacking in thro the yard about 2 P.M. – Will can h …
7 December 1917second diaryReturns sent in. Offence report Voting Voted 24 men. – Warned 15 men going to #6 A.E. Co'y Murray drunk. Cpl. Norman going on leave. Got cheques and paid 40 fcs. – A.R. 689. Cashed cheque …
15 December 1917Cold. Nothing much doing 'cepting that Murray & I went over to the XIll Corps Sup. Col. to dinner and spent a very pleasant eve’g with …
17 December 1917… ct. someplace. – Everything seems to happen during the boss's absence. – Being a poor sort of afternoon, rounded up Murray, Herts (Trans. Of W. Yorks) + Redel, for a little game. After dinner we visited Redel's b …

1918

2 January 1918… his aft has spoilt the snow for the present. Must have picked up a bit of a cold yesterday. – Feeling a bit groggy. Murray’s relief came up to-day – a capt. Chap name of Sturt +25
4 January 1918Cold. Got up to breakfast for a change. Murray went on leave. Cooper came back. That’s all +5
13 January 1918… yard this A.M. – He stayed to lunch but beat it back right after. – 215th were going to shift their mess to-day. – Murray was detailed to come up & take over the cooking again, but he went out at noon to celebra …
14 January 1918Snow – Fair & cold. Up for brekker. – The O.C. gave Murray 14 days #1 which he is working out in the kitchen – Probably we’ll all be poisoned. – The …
21 January 1918Mild. My Jonah day. – Luck switched with a bump. – Even Sturt got after me at “Vanty”). Murray came back from leave. – Mac & Prowse came down to dinner. Cook blew in on his way back fr …
29 January 1918Fine Walked into AUBIGNY with Murray and Jake this aft. Called at the C.C.S. (42) & on Tobin. – Came up on the leave train. No …
30 January 1918… g over to entertain him this aft. Again no mail. We all went to the “Owls” to-night. – Now I’m going to bed. Note – Murray had to work all aft. Anniversary of the storming of the Double Crassier.
13 March 1918… as yesterday, mostly (and the day before). – Tho’ I did walk to Acq a couple of times. Hal Mooney was in this A.M. Murray went to C.C.S. having been off his feed for the last two or three days.
14 March 1918A bit raw. Big Bill was around. Tobin came up to take Murray’s place. Forgetting that there was a new moon to-night I phoned Simmie & got him over to …
21 March 1918… to lunch with a yarn that the boche had attacked in three places. Gus & I walked up to 3rd D.A.C. this aft morning. Murray came back from Hosp. Laurie & Salmon came in after dinner. +25
24 March 1918… rd Army says everything satisfactory. Smee came over. Meeting of Co’y to arrange about starting a Canteen. Skipper, Murray & I dined at 215th. – French papers say that shells are falling in Paris fired by a long …
27 March 1918… to my kit. 2nd Div. shifted during the night to vicinity of Beaumetz. Scotty was down getting explosives from W.I. Murray had pleasant rumours of amm. dumps & 12” guns in the neighborhood. – I see where we becom …
28 March 1918… turbed by a “loud blinkin’ crash” at intervals. However we kidded ourselves that it was one of our 12” Ry. guns til Murray came in just after daylight with the news that the reports were accompanied by geysers of …
16 April 1918… of luck. – Barber “blessé” – Plenty of rumours round. – Gus has one that Fritz came over at Loos & got chewed up – Murray’s is that we advanced a few kilos down south & took two divs. – Skipper says that Fritz n …
20 April 1918Fine. Clear. Moved to the dug out at 12.30 A.M. & spent the remainder of the night there. Went in to Aubigny with Murray & Cockram. – Visited dentist at 42 C.C.S. & found out that I have not got “Trench Mouth” …
6 May 1918Fine. Showery Quiet. – Nothing much doing. – Murray & Reynard fairly busy with detrainments. Read “Canadian Born” by Mrs. Humphrey Ward.
16 May 1918… The first really hot day. – White (52nd Div) was down & stayed to lunch. Simpson came up from Tincques this aft, & Murray put him up for the night, so phoned Simmy & Macuaig to come over. – Got a bid from C.R.E. …
19 May 1918Hot. Ran into AUBIGNY with the skipper & Murray on the flier. Besieged with people asking for stuff they shouldn’t have all aft. White & …
7 July 1918… th Bn. – 1st C.D.P.B. & T.U. & “A” Co’y, 1st C.E. Battn. Miller came down to see me, very worried about Fox getting Murray from 1st Bn to be orderly room clerk. – Don’t know just what to do about it as the boy is …

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