The HAC at Reutel 9 October 1917

[Yorke Scarlett]

Whilst researching the 'straightening out' of the 21st Division line by the 7th Division on 9 October, The report by the HAC on their involvement during the attack on that day makes interesting reading. The battalion lost 16 officers on that day - 6 regimental officers and the RMO, Captain Eric Gaunt RAMC. Digging deeper after reading the 'Report on Operations' I find quite a fascinating story in Captain Ernest Francis Hume Murray.

Extract from the HAC report - "At about 10:30am, the Adjutant, Captain E F H Murray went forward to clear up the situation in REUTEL. At the battalion forward report centre he met 2nd Lieutenant C W Sanders, OC ‘D’ Company, whom he sent forward to the eastern edge of REUTEL while he himself proceeded towards the western edge of the village and JUNIPER COTTAGE. From the information received it appears that Captain Murray lost direction and passed by a post of the 7th Leicestershire. Unchallenged by this post he advanced through our lines and 100 yards further on he was shot dead by a party of 10 Germans". 

Captain & Adjutant Ernest Francis Hume MURRAY MC, DCM, MiD; Age 29; Born Dublin. Of West Kensington, London; A Freemason of Fitzroy No 569 Lodge, London. He worked for the London Office of the Buenos Ayres Midland Railway Company; DoD 9/10/1917; TYNE COT Memorial Panel 7

Additional Information: Ernest was a pre-war territorial and by June 1915 was a CSM, being awarded the DCM at the Battle of Bellewaerde on 16 June 1915. His citation reads – “For conspicuous gallantry and marked ability on 16 June 1915 at Hooge in carrying the wounded into safety whilst under fire. He subsequently organised a party of men belonging to various units and led them forward and occupied trenches which had been vacated. Later he took command of a trench after his officer had been wounded.” Ernest was commissioned in May 1916 and promoted to acting captain in April 1917, later becoming Adjutant of his battalion. Reading the account above of his death it seems odd that such an experienced soldier like that ‘lost direction’ and wandered past the outpost line and into No Man’s Land to meet his death. Is there more to this story than meets the eye?

If anyone can shed anymore light on this incident/story I would be very grateful.

[Colin W Taylor]

Hi Yorke,

The HAC in the Great War (C Goold Walker (ed)), gives a little more information:

'Capt Murray made towards the western edge of Reutel and Juniper Cottage, but apparently lost direction, passed unchallenged through a post of a battalion of the Leicestershires; and advanced beyond the British lines, when he was shot dead by a party of Germans. This gallant officer was observing the enemy's position from a shell hole when he was shot in the chest but endeavoured to continue his observations and was shot through the head.' (pg 324) 

I think it might be a little unfair to criticise his sense of direction as, first, the terrain by this time was relatively featureless (or devoid of recognised features from a map); second, the post he passed did not challenge him (i.e. warn him that he was passing the front line); third, he did not seemingly blunder into the German post (as suggested above, but was observing them, presumably with a view to sneaking away to report their position or gathering information on it to take back.

Anyone can make a mistake navigating over unfamiliar ground whatever their experience but in this case there were potentially mitigating factors.

 

Another source which may provide assistance would be the diary of Robert O'Connor (later a General in North Africa in another war) who was the CO. It would require an archive visit to King's College in London, though. I accessed it a few years ago but only photographed the pages for early 1917 for a previous project.

'Over the Top, A PBI in the HAC' by A Lambert has no mention of the event bar stating that the Adjt and MO were killed.

I don't have a copy of 'Mud and Khaki' by HS Clapham who was in the HAC but not sure which battalion.

 

Kind regards

Colin 

[Yorke Scarlett]

Colin,

Thanks for the reply and the additional information.

The quote "This gallant officer was observing the enemy's position from a shell hole when he was shot in the chest but endeavoured to continue his observations and was shot through the head" - makes a lot more sense when combined with the report from the battalion and reverses somewhat my slant on his death.

Thank you also for pointing out the CO of the battalion at the time as Richard Nugent O'Connor - I had a Bt Major (Acting Lieut-Colonel) R N O'Connor from a X Corps Orbat but didn't make the link - another story there in North Africa.

You have reminded me of 'Mud & Khaki' I have a copy in my archive library somewhere. I will check that out and get back to you.

Thanks again.

Yorke