Letter from Ruby Murray to the editor of the Sydney Morning Herald

PR8218
Falls Creek

Via Nowra
Jan 29th 1918
[*Australian
 Honored*]
To The Editor
Sydney Morning Herald"
Dear Sir
If you would not mind, I would like you to insert the
following in your (Saturday's for preference, but leave it to your 
own discretion)
paper.  As a proof of my identity, I am enclosing one of
the Military envelopes received this morning, & if his identity 
should need
to be traced at all you will find the Military 
records showing him as
entering Moore Park Engineers Camp 
on Sept 1st, 1914 - &  listing him
as N^o 151 (then) sapper– & later, in March 1916 
(not quite positive of the
latter month, but it was after Gallipoli campaign)
as having been transferred
to the 14th "Field Engineers with Corps rank. 
& it is with the 14th he is now.

"M^rs Murray of Falls Greek, Nowra, has been advised that her
husband, Sergt Ernest Murray, Field Engineers, has been awarded
a bar to his Military Medal. In April last, he was
mentioned in Gen Douglas Haigs dispatches, for " conspicuous services
rendered".  Sailing in Oct 1914 with the 1st Field Engineers,
Srgt Murray has seen over 3 years continuous service, having
been with one of the first boat to lands at Gallipoli on April 25th 1915
Prior to enlisting, he was the assistant Mechanic at the Duntroon Military College.
Two brothers, Lieut. J. C. Murray, & Corpl Harry Murray are also on
Service. Their father, M^r John Murray of Canberra, has been a
resident there, for some years."

(Over.)
Fthfully Yours Ruby Murray - wife Ernest Murray
14 Engineers

 Telegraph, for publication, also. I suppose Journalistic Etiquette

will permit of that, will it not! If not, I trust that my lapse will be

credited to ignorance of the usual custom, rather than 
rom other motives.
Faithfully Yours

Ruby Murray 

P.S
Not for publication, - but for my own personal satisfaction
— The occasion on which the latter award was made, was Oct 30
& 31' 1917 when the 2^nd Section. 14' Engineers (my husband's section)
was assisting a "Tommy" Heavy Battery to repair a damaged
Pill Box. Would that be - that the Australian Engineers
would be assisting at General Bing's break through?
The cables said at the time that Australian Artillery were assisting
there, not mentioning any other units. At the Gallipoli landing
the general impression given to The Public was that it was only the
3^rd Brigade (Queensland) that were at the first to land, so the fact that
N^os 1 & 2. section of the N.S.W. Aust Field Engineers who landed with them
overlooked altogether. It may have been that this was a sim
case with the Bing Offensive. Not having made a note of that
date at the time- on account of there being only mention made of the
Artillery, I am not certain of the date of the Offensive movement but
know it was somewhere about 2 weeks after Oct 8. I
If it is possible for you to give the date of The Bing Movement, I would be
so pleased; also, if the date is any where near the 30 & 31/8/17 & if you think
the time referred to was in connection with Cambrai, or more likely to be
Passchendaele;  I would like to know. M^r Murray is very particular, ih
does not give any news they're asked not to, so gave no hint as, to the
whereabouts of this particular time. All that he said of it was their
being attached to the English Battery (this letter.- not the former) & that those
2 days were the most strenuous & saddest he had experienced in all the affairs he
has been in.
I am sending a similar copy (1^st page) to the Daily
 

A.F.W. 8078/3078?
W299/M 1950. 4/17.
K.& J.
ACTIVE  SERVICE
This envelope must not be used for
coin or valuables. It cannot be accepted
for registration.
Note: -
Correspondence in this envelope need
not be censored Regimentally. The
contents are liable to examination at the
Base.
The following Certificate must be
signed by the writer:
I certify on my honour that the contents

 of this envelope refer to nothing
but private and family matters.
Signature
Name only
E Murray
 

(Crowns Copyright Reserved)

(Several letters may be forwarded in this
Cover, but these must be all from the same
writer. The Cover should be addressed in such
case to the Base Censor
M^rs E Murray
"Selwood Range"

Falls Creek
Nowra
N.S.W.
[*Australia*]