Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War Cambrai M.C. group of four awarded to Captain W. H. D. Murray, Canadian Railway Construction Corps

Military Cross, G.V.R., the reverse privately engraved, ‘Capt. W. H. D. Murray, Cambrai, 30 Nov. 1917’; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. W. H. D. Murray, Can. Rly. Cons. C.); British War and Victory Medals (Major W. H. D. Murray), generally very fine (4) £800-1000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Awards to the Canadian Forces.

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M.C. London Gazette 7 May 1918:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He took charge and completed the grading of a certain section of the line under considerable shell fire. He also organised and operated a train service for the evacuation of the wounded, his untiring efforts meeting with the greatest success.’

William Henry Douglas Murray was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on 11 November 1880, and was working as a General Contractor at the time of his enlistment in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force at Montreal in March 1915 - at which time he stated he had previous service of five years in the Volunteers and three years in the Yeomanry, in addition to a current post in the 58th Westmount Rifles (Militia).

Commissioned in the Canadian Overseas Railway Construction Corps, he went out to France in August 1915 and, with rare exception, remained actively employed until the War’s end, gaining advancement to Major in October 1918, in addition to the M.C. for the above cited deeds earlier in the same year. He was discharged back in Canada in March 1919; sold with copied service papers.