Pte 24594 Murray Simpson (MM)

• Age: 20
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Peronne Rd Cem Maricourt
  Panel Ref: Sp.Mem.A.12

24594 Private Murray SIMPSON, MM, 18^th Battalion KLR.

Murray Simpson was born in the last quarter of 1895 in Toxteth Park, Liverpool.  His parents John Simpson and Janet Pollock, both from Scotland, were married in Blythswood, Glasgow, on 25^th August 1874.  Soon after the marriage they moved to Liverpool, where all ten of their children were born.  Murray was the youngest;  his siblings were John, Jane, Robert, Agnes, David, Annie, William, Jessie, and Margaret.

In 1901 the family is living at 96 Myrtle Street, Liverpool. His father John is a  46 year old farrier (fireman), whilst his mother is 47 years of age. Murray is aged five and his siblings still living at home are listed as; Jane aged 24, David 17, William 12, and Maggie 8. 

His father died in 1906, aged 49. 

In 1911 his widowed mother Janet is head of household at 151 Northbrook Street,  brother David is 27 years of age and is a printer/compositor, William now 22 years of age is an insurance agent, Murray is 15, is employed as an office boy, his sister Margaret is 18. His mother advised that eight of her ten children had survived. 

Murray enlisted in Liverpool on 06th January 1915 having been employed by Messrs Staveley Taylor and Co, Liverpool, (ship brokers and commission agents) joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 24594.

He was billeted at the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th 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. 

He arrived in France on 07^th November 1915, and he was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in the field. The notification of which appeared in the London Gazette on 19th January 1917. Unfortunately the citation for the award is now lost but it is assumed it was in recognition of his part during the actions of the 01^st July 1916.

He was killed in action at Montauban on 01st July 1916, aged 20. 

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257. 

His family placed a notice in the Liverpool Daily Post, on 15^th July 1916:  

“Killed in action, aged 20 years, Private Murray Simpson, (“Pals”), the dearly beloved youngest son of Janet Simpson, 7 Sutton Street, Green Lane, Stoneycroft.  Memorial service at Shaw Street Presbyterian Church, tomorrow (evening service).”

His mother placed a notice in the Liverpool Daily Post on 18^th July 1916: 

 “Killed in action, aged 20 years, Private Murray Simpson (“Pals”), the dearly beloved youngest son of Janet Simpson, 7 Sutton Street, Green Lane, Stoneycroft.”

The Liverpool Daily Post reported his death on the 01^st August 1916:

“Private Murray Simpson has been killed in action.  he was the youngest son of Mrs. Simpson, 7 Sutton Street, Green Lane, Liverpool, and was twenty years of age. He was employed by Messrs. Stavely, Taylor, and Co., Mersey Chambers, Liverpool.  His elder brother, Quartermaster R. Simpson, R.H.A., was congratulated by the late Colonel Trotter on having such a brave and fearless brother.  He was one of the first of the “Pals” to be mentioned in despatches earlier in the year.  He is the second son Mrs. Simpson has lost, Private W.A. Simpson, the Liverpool Scottish, being killed at Hooge.”

Murray has no known grave and is commemorated with a headstone on the Special Memorial Row A, 12 in Peronne Road Military Cemetery, Maricourt, France. His epitaph reads:

“BELOVED BY ALL WHO KNEW HIM” 

Maricourt was, at the beginning of the Battles of the Somme 1916, the point of junction of the British and French forces, and within a very short distance of the front line; it was lost in the German advance of March 1918, and recaptured at the end of the following August.

The Cemetery, originally known as Maricourt Military Cemetery No.3, was begun by fighting units and Field Ambulances in the Battles of the Somme 1916, and used until August 1917; a few graves were added later in the War, and at the Armistice it consisted of 175 graves which now form almost the whole of Plot I. It was completed after the Armistice by the concentration of graves from the battlefields in the immediate neighbourhood and from certain smaller burial grounds.

There are now 1348, 1914-18 war casualties commemorated in this site. Of these, 366 are unidentified and special memorials are erected to 26 soldiers from the United Kingdom known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of three soldiers from the United Kingdom, buried in other cemeteries, whose graves could not be found.

The cemetery covers an area of 3,787 square metres and is enclosed on three sides by a low red brick wall.

His brother William Alexander Simpson, who had been a policeman before the war was killed in action at Hooge, serving with the 10^th Battalion King’s (Liverpool) Regiment on 16th June 1915, age 27, is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Ypres. His service record, which survives, shows that he enlisted on 03^rd September 1914, and went to France on 01^st November 1914 (suggesting prior military experience?).  His mother Janet received his personal effects, “with thanks”: 1 diary, 1 textbook, letters, photographs, bank book. 

On the anniversary of Murray's death, in 1917 and 1918 notices were placed,

“In loving memory of Murray Simpson, (K.L.R.) who was killed in action July 1, 1916. (Sadly missed by Mother, Sisters, and Brothers, 7 Sutton Street.)

Murray and his brother William Alexander are remembered on the war memorial in St Joh the Baptist Parish Church, Green Lane, Tuebrook, Liverpool. 

CWGC records Murray as the son of John and Janet Simpson, of 455 West Derby Road, Tuebrook, Liverpool. 

His brother Robert enlisted in the Royal Artillery in 1897 at the age of 19, and served in India, South Africa, India again, and 1914-19 in France and Italy as Sergeant Major, R.H.A. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal in 1916 and mentioned in dispatches in 1917 (C in C British Armies in the Field).

His mother died around Christmas 1934, aged 80.

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