George Murray

George and the Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 12/05/1915 and were part of the 28th Brigade, 9th (Scottish) Division when George fell on the opening day of the Battle of Loos, 25th September - 15th October 1915 : The first genuinely large scale British offensive action but once again only in a supporting role to a larger French attack in the Third Battle of Artois. British appeals that the ground over which they were being called upon to advance was wholly unsuitable were rejected. The battle is historically noteworthy for the first British use of poison gas. The Battle : In the centre the 9th (Scottish) Division had to attack the formidable obstacle of the Hohenzollern Redoubt and Fosse 8, the high location of the main enemy observation posts looking across the whole battlefield. Preparations had included Russian saps to close the distance to be covered, and effective observed heavy shelling. The lead units of 26th Brigade suffered casualties as they cleared the gas and smoke, but advanced through well-cut wire to quickly take the front face of the Redoubt. The 7th Battalion Seaforth Highlanders reached Fosse Trench - the rear of the redoubt - soon after 7.00am, and pressed on towards Fosse 8. The 28th Brigade, on the left of the Divisional front, ran into serious problems before the assault even began. The gas drifted behind them and hung in the trenches. It gave no cover across No Man's Land, and German artillery opened on the front lines that were packed with men. Gas cylinders were destroyed, releasing even more gas into the area. Men of the 6th Battalion King's Own Scottish Borderers, perhaps surprised at how little resistance the enemy showed while they advanced to his uncut wire, were soon cut down in rows as machine-guns opened up from Strong Point (a gun post in front of Little Willie Trench) and Mad Point. Men not killed or wounded were pinned down, and only some 70 men of the rear ranks made it back to cover. To their left, the first rank of the 10th Battalion Highland Light Infantry was annihilated by crossfire from Railway Redoubt (across the Cambrin - La Bassee road) before it had gained 20 yards; the men in succeeding ranks suffering similarly. George was Killed in Action along with many other men from the Coatnridge Memorial on the opening day of the Battle of Loos. He was 1 of 99 men from the Coatbridge Memorial who fell during and from injuries from the Battle of Loos. Here is a list of Infantry Battalions who lost more than 500 men at the Battle of Loos from 25/09/1915 to 16/10/1915 - 7th Cameron Highlanders 687, of which 19 Officers, 9th Black Watch 680, of which 20 Officers, 6th KING'S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS 650, OF WHICH 20 OFFICERS, 10th Highland Light Infantry 648, of which 20 Officers, 7th King's Own Scottish Borderers 631, of which 20 Officers, 8th Devons 619, of which 19 Officers, 8th Royal West Kents 580, of which 24 Officers, 8th Buffs 558, of which 24 Officers, 12th Highland Light Infantry 553, of which 23 Officers, 8th Black Watch 511, of which 19 Officers, 5th North Staffordshire 505, of which 20 Officers, 8th Seaforth Highlanders 502, of which 23 Officers. George is listed as MURPHY on the Coatbridge Memorial. See photos for George's Medal Index Card, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, his name on the Loos Memorial Panel List, his Pension Records x 3 and the King's Own Scottish Borderers Cap Badge.