McMurray, William Hamilton: my Army recollections (May 25 - June 8, 1979)

An interview/narrative of William Hamilton McMurray's experiences during World War I. Lieutenant-Colonel McMurray, O.B.E., M.C., E.D. served with the Canadian Signal Corps and the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. Interview took place on May 25, 29 and June 8, 1979.

Rank: Lieutenant-Colonel. Medals and Honours: Order of the British Empire (OBE); Military Cross (MC); Efficiency Decoration (ED)

ABSTRACT: Lt. Col. William Hamilton McMurray, O.B.E., M.C., E.D. Canadian Signal Corps Royal Canadian Corps of Signals McMurray_W_0099_01.mp3 (Side 1) Born in Toronto ca. 1894/95. Moved to Winnipeg in 1910 where he joined the Canadian Signal Corps (militia). Learned Morse code, semaphore with flags, use of heliograph. Summer Camp with No. 10 Section, Canadian Signal Corps. Obtained a job with the C.P.R. Comments on lack of telephone equipment, messing arrangements at camp. Summoned from Alberta to Winnipeg when war broke out in Sept. 1914. (25:00) Second interview, May 29, 1979. Issued British equipment including field telephones. Terrible living conditions on Salisbury Plain. Sent to France in Feb. 1915 and posted to No. 4 Section, 1st. Canadian Divisional Signals Company which was attached to the 3rd Cdn. Infantry Brigade. (45:00) McMurray_W_0099_02.mp3 Moved by train to the Armentieres area. Describes the sections of a divisional signals company, mounted for cable-laying, and unmounted. Trained signallers wore crossed flags on their left sleeve and a blue and white arm-band on the right. Trench warfare: communications. Responsible for communications within the Brigade and to the front line. Experienced first poison gas attack at Ypres, protection against it was very primitive. Explains the use of the I-Toc listening device. Promoted to sergeant after the section suffered many casualties. (April 15, 1915) On Feb. 5 1916 promoted to Lieutenant and Signal Officer, 1st Infantry Bde. Awarded the Military Cross for action on the Somme. Given six days leave to obtain his officers' kit in England. (35:00) Third interview, June 8, 1979. McMurray_W_0099_03.mp3 (Side 2) Shortly after his return to France, posted to the 2nd Infantry Bgd. Conditions on the Somme battlefield were the worst ever experienced by him; very heavy fighting, lack of sanitation, artillery barrages. (45:00) Use of carrier pigeons field telephones, inadequate wire especially in the beginning. Here Col. McMurray reads from his citation for the Military Cross, gallantry in action, etc. Awarded the O.B.E. for work with the Corps Headquarters in the Army of Occupation. Signallers: use of. In the front line signallers worked in pairs, the section had the use of two motorcycle dispatch riders, battalion runners, etc. Comments on the Battle of Vimy Ridge; had to move off with the first wave of attackers so that with bayonets stuck in the ground he could mark the path for the cable layers. (15:00) Awarded his M.C. by the King at Buckingham Palace. Promoted to Captain in 1917 (5th Cdn. Div. Signals Company). Acting commander of the Canadian Corps Signals Company. (30:00) McMurray_W_0099_04.mp3 Much admiration for General Currie. Duties at Corps Headquarters. Army of Occupation at Bonn, Germany. Returned to Canada in mid-1919. Invited to join the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals as a major. Instead returned to the C.P.R. Rejoined the army in 1940 and served in a training role until 1945. Points out the vast difference and improvement in equipment in the Second World War.

Interviewee: McMurray, William Hamilton, 1894-1985

Interviewer: Main, Chris D.

In Collection:

• Canadian Military Oral Histories

Contributor

• McMurray, William Hamilton, 1894-1985
• Main, Chris D.

Subject

• World War (1914-1918)
• World War (1939-1945)
• Personal narratives--Canadian
• Military history

Language

• eng

Date created

• May 25, 1979

Relation

• Part of the Reginald H. Roy collection of interviews.

Resource type

• Sound

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Extent

• 4 sound recordings (MP3)

Geographic coverage

• England
• Germany

Coordinates

• 51.5, 10.5
• 52.16045, -0.70312

Additional physical characteristics

• One original sound tape reel (ca. 135 min.) : 1 7/8 ips, 2 track, mono. ; 2 sound cassette copies : standard, mono. in Special Collections.

Physical repository

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Collection

• Canadian Military Oral History Collection

Provider

• University of Victoria (B.C.). Library

Genre

• interviews
• sound recordings
• reminiscences
• oral histories (literary genre)

Archival item identifier

• MWH_099

Fonds title

• Reginald Herbert Roy fonds

Fonds identifier

• SC104

Is referenced by

• Special Collections Finding Aid: https://uvic2.coppul.archivematica.org/reginald-herbert-roy-fonds

Date digitized

• July 28, 2006

Technical note

• Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 22 kHz. In .mp3 format at 64 kbps and 22 kHz. Digitized by SC, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Transferred from audio reel to audio cassette between 1987-1997. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2006. Migration metadata by KD and MT.

Rights

• This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca

DOI

•  https://doi.org/10.58066/p0w8-cf25

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