Pte 15576 William Alfred Owen Murray

• Age: 22
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Guillemont Rd Cem
  Panel Ref: V.M.9

William Alfred Owen Murray was born on 01st April 1894 in Liverpool, the son of William Murray and his wife Louisa Ann (née Barry). He was baptised on 05th August 1894 at St Bride's Church of England, Liverpool. The baptismal records show his father was a Fish Salesman and the family lived at 12 Amberley Street, Liverpool. His parents were both born in Liverpool and married on the 2nd Oct 1889 at St Bride's. William was a 29 year old fish salesman of 10 Blackburne St, father James, whilst Louisa was aged 30 of 46 Seymour St, father John (his father’s age on marriage is 29; age on censuses is inconsistent). William had a younger sister Elsie and a younger brother Eric, who both had the middle name Barry.  

In 1901 the family is found at 77 Errol Street, Toxteth Park, Liverpool.

His father, age given as 39, is a fish merchant working on his own account, his mother is 41, William is 7, Elsie 5, and Eric 3 years old.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at Rocky Lane, Heswall.

His father, William, is shown as being aged 45, born 1866 occupation, wholesale fish merchant. He lives with his two sons; William is aged 17, born 1894 occupation commercial clerk and Eric aged 13, born 1898 who is at school, both were born in Liverpool. 

His mother is 51 and together with his sister Elsie, 15, are in Liverpool with his grandmother, Eliza Barry, 73, a  fishmonger, at 25 Fitzgerald Road, Old Swan. 

Prior to the outbreak of war William was employed by Messrs Armour & Co Ltd, American Packers and Importers, Victoria Street, Liverpool.

William enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on 04th September 1914 joining the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 15576, serving in No.3 Company. He gave his age as 20 years and 154 days and his occupation as a clerk. He was described as being five feet nine and a quarter inches tall, weighed 124lbs, had a fresh complexion, brown eyes, brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England. His NOK was father William, Rocky Lane, Heswall. 

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory from 14^th September 1914, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. William arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 22, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. 

17th Battalion Diary 

The Battalion was in support to 19 & 20 Battalions K.L.R. 2 Coys. behind 19th & 2 Coys. behind 20th. Very thick mist. The attack was pushed home to the objective in places but in the main was held up by machine gun fire from hidden machine guns.

Fighting continued all day swaying backwards and forwards until by 6pm about 300 yards in depth had been gained & consolidated all along our front.

Casualties in the 17th Battalion were 15 Officers and 281 Other Ranks

Further details are reported in more detailed by Everard Wyrall in his book The History of the King’s Regiment (Liverpool) 1914-1919 Volume II 1916-1917

The 17th King’s had advanced (two companies each behind the 19th and 20th Battalions) in small columns. They too suffered heavily from machine-gun fire and were quickly absorbed into the waves that preceded them. They also shared the gains and losses of that terrible day.

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55th Division during the early hours of the 31st July. 

The events of 30th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

His platoon officer in a letter to his parents said; 

"Bill was hit by a bullet in the chest going forward. Bill has been splendid, and set a splendid example to all, for no one can imagine what the men have had to endure and go through. He was going straight forward when he was hit, calling others on, and you must always think of him with the greatest feeling of pride. Bill always stuck everything out."  

The Birkenhead News reported Bill's death on 26th August 1916.

Heswall people will learn with regret of the death (in action) of Private W.A. Murray, 17th King's ("Pals") Liverpool Regiment. He was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Murray, "Elsinore," Heswall. His platoon officer, Lieut. Draper, in a letter to the parents writes:-"Your son was shot through the chest when calling the other boys to come on. He was a fine example to all of them, and a regular 'sticker.' He died a hero, and his loss is very keenly felt by all of us." Private Murray was 22 years of age, and a very popular youth, he being well known in the district. In business he was with the firm of Messrs. Armour and Co., Ltd., American packers and importers, Victoria-street,Liverpool.

His name also appeared in the list of local men killed on 16th September 1916 in the Chester Chronicle.

William was buried close to where he fell (the CWGC Graves Registration form showing his regimental number as 16676 K.L.R.).  After the war when graves were concentrated his body was exhumed and reinterred.

He now rests at Guillemont Road Cemetery, France where his headstone bears the epitaph:

WHEN THE CALL CAME HE ANSWERED “HERE AM I”

Guillemont was an important point in the German defences at the beginning of the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. It was taken by the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on 30 July but the battalion was obliged to fall back, and it was again entered for a short time by the 55th (West Lancashire) Division on 8 August. On 18 August, the village was reached by the 2nd Division, and on 3 September (in the Battle of Guillemont) it was captured and cleared by the 20th (Light) and part of the 16th (Irish) Divisions. It was lost in March 1918 during the German advance, but retaken on 29 August by the 18th and 38th (Welsh) Divisions.

The cemetery was begun by fighting units (mainly of the Guards Division) and field ambulances after the Battle of Guillemont, and was closed in March 1917, when it contained 121 burials. It was greatly increased after the Armistice when graves (almost all of July-September 1916) were brought in from the battlefields immediately surrounding the village and certain smaller cemeteries, including:-

HARDECOURT FRENCH MILITARY CEMETERY. The village of Hardecourt-au-Bois was captured by French troops on the 8th July 1916, and again by the 58th (London) and 12th (Eastern) Divisions on 28 August 1918. Five British Artillerymen were buried by their unit in the French Military Cemetery, in the middle of the village, in September 1916; and in 1918 the 12th Division buried in the same cemetery 14 men of the 9th Royal Fusiliers and two of the 7th Royal Sussex.

Guillemont Road Cemetery now contains 2,263 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 1,523 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to eight casualties known or believed to be buried among them.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

He earned his three medals.

His Army pay and a War Gratuity of £8-10 went to his mother.

He was remembered in the Liverpool Echo on the first anniversary of his death on 30th July 1917, under the heading, “Lost At The Battle Of Guillemont”:

“To the honoured and ever-loved memory of Private William A. Murray, 1st Pals, who fell in action (Guillemont), July 30, 1916. – Elsinore, Heswall.” 

“In loving memory of my dear friend, Private W. A. Murray (Willie), K.L.R. (1st Pals), killed in action July 30, 1916. – Ever remembered by May and all at 269 Park Road" 

Also on the second anniversary of his death in 1918:

"In honoured and loving remembrance of Private William A. Murray (1st Liverpool Pals), killed in action at Guillemont, July 30, 1916. - "Elsinore", Rocky Lane, Heswall." 

He is commemorated on the Heswall War Memorial. 

His brother, Eric, attested in February 1916 and was mobilised in May 1916, serving in the 2/5th East Lancs  and the 6th Rifle Bn.K.L.R.  He served overseas from March  1917 and was wounded in action and invalided to Bradford War Hospital in November 1917. He was demobbed in March 1919.

In 1919 his parents, with Elsie, 24, and Eric, 22, are at “Elsinore”, Rocky Lane, Heswall.

They are still in the same house in 1939.  His father 78, is a retired wholesale fish merchant, his mother is 80, Elsie is 44, and Eric, 41, is a toiletries rep.

His father died aged 82 in 1942 and his mother died in 1950 at the age of 91.  

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