Pte 49106 Ernest Murray

• Age: 29
• From: Stockport, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 4th August 1917
• Commemorated at: Menin Gate Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 4 & 6

Ernest Murray was born in the December quarter of 1887 the son of Joseph Frederick Murray and Gertrude Sherman (née Marples) who had married in 1882 at West Derby Register Office.

On 1891 census the family are living at 15 Vine St, Bolton.

The father Joseph 39 a foreman railway carriage examiner who was born in Liverpool, and his wife Gertrude aged 29 born in Bubnell, Derbyshire. They have three children at the taking of the Census, Mary F. 7 a scholar  and Ernest aged 3 were both born in Stockport, and Agnes aged 7months was born in Bolton.

On 1901 census the family are living at 6 Harrogate St, Wigan.
The father Frederick J. 49 still employed as a railway foreman at carriage dept, his wife Gertrude aged 39 with no occupation listed. They have four children Florence 17 linen drapers assistant, Ernest 13 errand boy at confectioners shop, Agnes 10 and Samuel F. aged 6 who was born in Wigan.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 135 Adswood Road, Stockport.   

Ernest aged 23, born 1888 a grocers assistant is living with his mother Gertrude aged 49, born 1862 and occupation housekeeper. (She has been married for 28 years and has had five children of which one died) and his sister Agnes aged 20, born 1891 a felt hat trimmer at their grandmother’s house. His grandmother Mary Marples is a widow aged 78, born 1833 in Derbyshire. The father is not present

He enlisted in Stockport and was formerly 5046, Cheshire Regiment and serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 49106 when he was killed in action on the 04th August, 1917 aged 28 during the Third Battle of Ypres.

The 17th Battalion Diary groups the action of the opening day of the offensive up to the relief of the Battalion on 04th August as follows: 

On that day, the 89th Brigade was to follow up the attacks of the 21st and 90th Brigades and once their objectives had been taken, to go through them and secure a line of strong points on the German third line. The 89th Brigade line of attack was from the South West corner of Polygon Wood, to the Menin Road. The 17th Battalion The King’s Liverpool Regiment was on the left of the attack, and the 20th to the right, with the 19th Battalion and the 2nd Battalion The Bedfordshire Regiment, in Divisional Reserve.

The Battalion moved into assembly positions east of Maple Copse between 05.00 and 05.20am, they were heavily shelled and suffered many casualties. At 07.50 they began to advance with the 17th Battalion on the left, and the 20th on the right, the whole time under heavy shell fire. On reaching their position which was the Blue Line , troops of both the 21st and 90th Brigades were still pinned down and thus any attempt at further progress were futile.

Despite this they pushed on until their flank was just touching Clapham Junction. They then dug in and awaited the inevitable bombardment which hit them soon after. Despite this, they held onto the ground.

During the action and their time in the line the 17th Battalion lost three officers and 79 men killed or died of wounds, and four officers and 198 men wounded. They were eventually relieved on the night of 3rd -4th August. 

Ernest was one of those casualties referred to in the Diary. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres in Belgium.

The site of the Menin Gate was chosen because of the hundreds of thousands of men who passed through it on their way to the battlefields. It commemorates casualties from the forces of Australia, Canada, India, South Africa and United Kingdom who died in the Salient. In the case of United Kingdom casualties, only those prior 16 August 1917 (with some exceptions). United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after that date are named on the memorial at Tyne Cot, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war. New Zealand casualties that died prior to 16 August 1917 are commemorated on memorials at Buttes New British Cemetery and Messines Ridge British Cemetery.

The YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL now bears the names of more than 54,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield with sculpture by Sir William Reid-Dick, was unveiled by Lord Plumer on 24 July 1927.

Reported killed in the Weekly Casualty List 18th Sept 1917

King's Liverpool Regiment - Murray, 49106, E. (Stockport);

He is also commemorated on the Stockport War Memorial.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Gertrude, 96 Shaw Rd, Stockport

The mother appears on the 1939 Register at 79 Fox St, Stockport, dob 3rd Oct 1861 and died in 1947. 

We currently have no further information on Ernest Murray, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.