Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Lieutenant E. D. Murray, Royal Highlanders, who was severely wounded at the Battle of Delville Wood, and died of his wounds two days later on 20 July 1916

1914-15 Star (2. Lieut. E. D. Murray. R. Highrs.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. E. D. Murray) nearly extremely fine (3) £200-240

Edward Douglas Murray was born in Shapwick, Dorset, in 1884, the son of the Reverend Richard Paget Murray (Vicar of Shapwick, Dorset,), a scion of the Marquesses of Atholl, and a direct descendant of the Conqueror, and was educated at St Edward's School, Oxford. A solicitor, he joined the 28th (Artists Rifles) Battalion London Regiment and was commissioned in The Black Watch prior to serving overseas. He joined the 8th Battalion Royal Highlanders on the Western Front on 7 October 1915, was severely wounded at Delville Wood / Longueval on 18 July 1916:

'At 8.00am on the 18th July, a  bombardment of an unprecedented severity was opened on the wood and Longueval. Every part of the area was searched and smothered by shells until 3.30pm. The 3rd Division was expelled from the northern part of Longueval. The strong points built by the Scottish prevented the capture of the whole village by the Germans. At 6.00pm, on Highland Battalions C.O.'s initiative, all men available were gathered and the 8th Black Watch, 7th Seaforths and 5th Camerons launched a counter-attack which allowed to restore the line in the village and took contact again with the remains of the South African Brigade in Delville Wood. Many men of the 8th Black Watch reported as “missing in action” during this day were lost during an impetuous pursuit of the Germans in the wood.'

Murray died of his wounds two days later on 20 July 1916, at No 5 Casualty Clearing Station. He is buried in Corbie Communal Cemetery, Somme. He is additionally commemorated on the St Michael & All Angels Church Memorial, Waddesdon, Buckinghamshire, and on the Shapwick War Memorial, Shapwick, Dorset, where he is one of seven fallen. He is also commemorated on his father’s memorial in the churchyard at Shapwick. Total casualties for the 8th Battalion Black Watch during the period 8 to 20 July 1916 were 28 officers and 540 other ranks killed, wounded, or missing.