| The oldest son of Mr. and Mrs. H. T. Murray, Tolford
Hamilton Murray, at the age of 16, qualified for admission
to Royal Military College, Kingston in 1903, but due
to illness, had to leave. 
He served as a Lieutenant in the 4th Hussars from
1907 - 1909 and the Royal Canadian Dragoons from 1909
-1911. During this period he attended the School of
Musketry in Rockcliffe, the Barriefield Camp, as well
as, Niagara and Granby. He was a Musketry Instructor
at Three Rivers Camp and Farnham. He became certified
in Calvary as Lieutenant, Captain and Field Officer.
He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in the 8th
Calvary in the Philippine Islands from 1912 - 1915.
Honourably discharged with Charactic and Horsemanship
Excellant, he applied for a commission as an officer
in a mounted unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force
for overseas in October of 1915. He enlisted in Hamilton
and went overseas in March, 1916, in charge of a draft
of the 8th Mounted Rifles.
Kurt Staugh, a German soldier writes:
“The relatives of Mr. Tolford Murray, Brockville
Canada. If these lines reach some of the relatives
of the late Mr. Tolford Murray, who lost his life
during the war while on patrol they might communicate
with me and I shall be pleased to forward to them
a wrist-watch which the dead hero wore at the time
of his burial and which I was able to secure from
a soldier who laid Murray to his rest.”
The Murray’s immediately responded and another
letter came:
“Dear Madam:-
Your letter of April 2 reached me yesterday.
Your cheque made me feel ashamed of myself. I would
have sent you the watch so dear to you just the same,
but being a great sufferer myself of this terrible
war, I accept it, thanking you very much for it.
Your dear son made a daring raid (patroville)
with about eight men all on mounts at about 5 o’clock
on the 9th of April, 1917. They tried to get behind
the German trenches, evidently to ascertain the exact
position of the trenches and strength of the enemy
at that place. The horses hurt themselves badly in
the entanglement of the barbed wire. They were seen
and fired upon. About three men managed to get back;
the rest fell, all the horses being either killed
or severely wounded. Four men were killed by bullets,
the fifth was buried by his horse and as the horse
was found dead, evidently crushed him. Your son had
three shots, just near the heart, one on the right
upper arm and another on his left hand. He was leading,
so was lying nearest the German trenches. They all
were brought in the same evening, but unfortunately
all were dead. Their bravery aroused great admiration
and all five were buried with military honors the
next day at the cemetery at Willerval, about six miles
to the right of Arras. I send you a picture of the
church and you can judge yourself how terrible war
has done his work there.
Those particulars I have carefully taken at the
time from the man I acquired the watch from. He also
stated that none of the men had either money or papers
on them.
It looks like they were aware of the great danger
they were running by taking the trenches by force
at that time. For their undertaking, however, they
could not wait till night or else their horses could
not avoid the barbed wire and the holes caused by
the bursting shells. I am so sorry, dear lady, to
cause you so much pain in opening the wounds again,
but I pray that you might have found comfort by now.
He died a gallant hero like thousands of others of
all countries. I lost a brother the 6th June, 1918,
the father of four little boys, another brother and
myself were both severely wounded. My parents died
both during the war so I went through my trial.
I send the watch this day registered so as to
assure a safe arrival and ask you to be good enough
to let me know if it is safely in your hands, together
with a little book also found on him.
Just to let you know with whom you correspond
I take liberty in sending a photo of mine and ask
you not to think too bad of the Germans. We are unfortunate
enough.” |
