Mad Harry: Harry Murray, VC, Cmg, Dso and Bar DCM C de G: Australia's Most Decorated Soldier
Type
Book
Authors
ISBN 10
0731811887
ISBN 13
9780731811885
Category
World War I
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Publication Year
2018
Publisher
Tags
Description
This war book is a detailed study of Australia's most decorated soldier, Harry Murray.
Murray, an Australian, was the most highly decorated of all the millions of infantrymen who served in the armies of Great Britain and its empire in World War 1.
He remains the most highly decorated Australian soldier of all time.
Murray's ancestors, were early settlers of northern Tasmania. In 1908, Murray was forced to leave the struggling family farm and sought work in Western Australia. At the outbreak of war in 1914, he was cutting railway sleepers in the karri forests of the south-west when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) as a private soldier in the 16th Battalion.
At the end of the war, in 1918, he commanded a machine gun battalion as a Lieutenant Colonel and had been awarded six decorations, including the coveted Victoria Cross. Harry won his VC for his action at Stormy Trench he had previously transferred to the 13th Battalion AIF. Bean wrote, ' Murray flung himself into the most famous fight for his life.His presence always raised other men to heights of valour.' Known admiringly throughout the AIF as 'Mad Harry' because of his fearlessness while patroling in No-Mans-Land and his ferocity in hand-to-hand fighting. Murray was far from 'mad'. He planned attacks and trained his men with great care and always sought to avoid casualties.
After the war, Murray led a secluded life on sheep stations in the Queensland bush. He rarely attended Anzac Day services or unit reunions, avoided publicity. and protected his privacy. Little has been known about him.
The authors received much help from Murray's family when writing this book and many details of the life and character of Australia's most decorated fighting soldier are revealed for the first time.
According to Bean, Harry Murray's best mate, Percy Black was the "greatest fighting soldier in the AIF". Percy Black was killed in action at Bullecourt while fighting to capture the Hindenburg Lines support trench. Of Course, both were mates of the Great Albert Jacka VC MC & Bar as all were members of the 4th Brigade AIF.
Murray, an Australian, was the most highly decorated of all the millions of infantrymen who served in the armies of Great Britain and its empire in World War 1.
He remains the most highly decorated Australian soldier of all time.
Murray's ancestors, were early settlers of northern Tasmania. In 1908, Murray was forced to leave the struggling family farm and sought work in Western Australia. At the outbreak of war in 1914, he was cutting railway sleepers in the karri forests of the south-west when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) as a private soldier in the 16th Battalion.
At the end of the war, in 1918, he commanded a machine gun battalion as a Lieutenant Colonel and had been awarded six decorations, including the coveted Victoria Cross. Harry won his VC for his action at Stormy Trench he had previously transferred to the 13th Battalion AIF. Bean wrote, ' Murray flung himself into the most famous fight for his life.His presence always raised other men to heights of valour.' Known admiringly throughout the AIF as 'Mad Harry' because of his fearlessness while patroling in No-Mans-Land and his ferocity in hand-to-hand fighting. Murray was far from 'mad'. He planned attacks and trained his men with great care and always sought to avoid casualties.
After the war, Murray led a secluded life on sheep stations in the Queensland bush. He rarely attended Anzac Day services or unit reunions, avoided publicity. and protected his privacy. Little has been known about him.
The authors received much help from Murray's family when writing this book and many details of the life and character of Australia's most decorated fighting soldier are revealed for the first time.
According to Bean, Harry Murray's best mate, Percy Black was the "greatest fighting soldier in the AIF". Percy Black was killed in action at Bullecourt while fighting to capture the Hindenburg Lines support trench. Of Course, both were mates of the Great Albert Jacka VC MC & Bar as all were members of the 4th Brigade AIF.
Number of Copies
1
