Letters from George Alexander Hugh Murray to his family, 1914 - Part 1

THE SALVATION ARMY.
Headquarters: 69 Bourke St., Melbourne.
MILITARY CAMP, BROADMEADOWS.
. . . S.A. TENT.
Wednesday 3^rd 1914

W.BRAMWELL BOOTH,

General

JAMES HAY,

Commissioner.
Dear Bess
I suppose Les has written & told you that he
has joined the L. Horse He came in last week. He
came to see me the other night & brought along Will
Morrison. You might no have seen him that Sunday
you were out for he was in camp.
"I" Coy was down
at Williamstown on Monday & got back about 7 oclock
& had to go on guard right away without any tea
& had no sleep that night & had to go on a march
next morning to Coburg. Hidleburg & through Preston
home. There were infantry artillery L. Horse & machine
gone guns firing in the streets of Preston The march
was about 20 miles & there is to be another at 2
on Wednesday.
I think I will try to be home next Sunday
as there is going to be a send off given to the Warrack
men There will be about 70 going. If we go we will
travel by the Adelaide Express & get up the Saturday
morning
This is all this time so I will close
Remain
Your Brother George

THE SALVATION ARMY.
Headquarters: 69 Bourke St., Melbourne.
MILITARY CAMP, BROADMEADOWS.
. . . S.A. TENT.
Wednesday 21^st 1914

W.BRAMWELL BOOTH,

General

JAMES HAY,

Commissioner.
All at home
I received your letter today while having dinner
I have been transferred from the depot to I Coy
14^th Bat. As a an acting Sergeant for that I only
receive the privates pay until I go through an
examination & then I have to go the to the A Coy
The last of the first Contingent went this
morning & the 2^nd Cont was marched up
to see them leave Camp. We have a
swimming parade every 2^nd afternoon
in the Merry Creek I got paid up to 
Thursday last & I will send that
along as I do not want it How did
the photo I got taken the morning I
came away turn out. I have 5 or 6 days
days off by next Friday week so I
will run up most likely on Saturday
week I have not got the boots yet but
I suppose they will come along in time
This is all this time so I will close
with love from George
Sgt Murray
I. Coy
2 Con 2 E.F.
B.M.

THE SALVATION ARMY.
Headquarters: 69 Bourke St., Melbourne.
MILITARY CAMP, BROADMEADOWS.
. . . S.A. TENT.
Monday 26^th 1914

W.BRAMWELL BOOTH,

General

JAMES HAY,

Commissioner.
Dear Hetta
Received your letter on Friday but have not
get the boots yet but I suppose they are
at the station It is too far to go of
a night after drill Dad & Les with the
Phillip was out on Sunday afternoon
The camp is now one mass of dust
& it is a nice site when the wind is
blowing & it is very cool at times. It
xx Camp is very dull & there is not much
to do. The Coy I am in one of the
soldiers died. He had a boil on his face
& the doctor lanced it without cleaning
his instruments & he was taken to Melb &
died just after admittance. His funeral was
on Saturday afternoon & anyone had
leave to attend it About thirty went
to it. Another man fell down a hole
& he was found with his neck broken
No one heard what his name was
& he had a quick burial.
xx I am leaving

here on Friday dinner time to 

to town & meet Dad at the Coffee Palace
& go up home on Saturday morning
So goodbye
From George

THE SALVATION ARMY.
Headquarters: 69 Bourke St., Melbourne.
MILITARY CAMP, BROADMEADOWS.
. . . S.A. TENT.

Sunday 31^st 1914

W.BRAMWELL BOOTH,

General

JAMES HAY,

Commissioner.
Dear Jim
I got your letter a couple of days ago &
I have not had one from since last
week & the first I knew that Bess was transferred 

was by your letter. She has gone to
a t stinking place where all the tanneries
are. I was past Footscray last Saturday
the the Coy went to Williamstown
for rifle practice. Some of the Coy did
very well while others never hit the target
at some of the ranges. I did ge best at
400 rapid shooting where I got 15 out of 20.
We had 5 shots to do in 45 second. We had
to load, aim & fire you had to travel
a bit. The Signallers shot a cow that
walked past the targets.
I suppose Bess
will come out here today as I do not
know where she is so I cannot go in
I will send you some post cards of the
church parades & mach march pasts
when I can get them.
We have to marches

THE SALVATION ARMY.
Headquarters: 69 Bourke St., Melbourne.
MILITARY CAMP, BROADMEADOWS.
. . . S.A. TENT.
______________ 191

W.BRAMWELL BOOTH,

General

JAMES HAY,

Commissioner.
through town next week, as far as is known
now. One is from Flinders street to the
Melb. Hospital & the other from Flinders
St to St Kilda Barracks for the Batt
is to be presented with the colours
that it is to carry to the fro front
We leave any time within three weeks
now & they are pushing the coys, along
very quickly.
This is all this time & it is
near dinner time so I will close
I am
your Brother
George

Broadmeadows
18/11/14
Dear Het & All at Home.
I suppose you will be wondering 

why I have not written it is because
you never put the 14 Battallion & you never
put B. Meadows on it but Melbourne. I
got it Wednesday morning to I suppose
Mum will be home by then & will
have told you all the news.
The Battallion
got paid today & I will send £3 along
in this letter I got the photo taken & it
is not much like me. I got it taken
with a cap on.
I have been Ordlery Serg.
for three days & have to do the office
work as well tonight.
The Infantry of the
I4^th are getting up early Friday morning
for a march from Camp to St Kilda
& Back It is only about 28 to 30 miles
The runners for the sports on Saturday
... not be very fit to did the
...ies credit
There is a good concert

given in the Y M.C. 6 at tonight but a
very good one the night before
I got a letter
from Jim today + he is [[? cond... Ibor.?]] 
& the place he is staying at
The Camp is deserted
tonight with the men on leave + dozens of them
away for 3 or 4 days
I had to knock this letter off as
I had to transfer a man from M. to I Coy & find
a place for him to sleep
The flies eat a man out
of house & home. They are like currants in a
cake as they cluster to the tent roof
The Serg Major
of our Camp left us today so we all put a
1/- each into a fund to get a group photo.
taken. We had it taken this afternoon & it
will cost about £-3/10 & what over will go
to buy a Cane for him. He was the only
man the Coy would do anything descent for
This is all this time wishing you are all well
& especially Dad As I am at present
Remain
Your Brother & Son
George
Reinforcement Coy

14 Battallion

1 DRL529

Broadmeadows

18/11/14

Dear Bet

How are you getting along in your

new home with no one you know around

you I suppose Mum went home on Tuesday

morning. I got Het's letter Wednesday morning

after its long travel. She addressed

it to Melbourne instead of B.Meadows

If you are coming out of Sunday just say

so & I will go to the Station to meet you

The 14^th Battallion are going to March

from Camp to St Kilda & Back on Friday

It is only a matter of about thirty miles

The runners for the sport on Saturday

will not fell fit to do their Coy's

justice.

I just have answered Het's letter

& will answer Jim's in a day or two

The Camp has grown by about 150

tents since last Sunday & about 150 to

200 new men arrived tonight but

I never knew any of them

There is a good concert in the Y.M.C. at

tonight but I could not leave the lines as

I am Ordleerly Sergeant for three days

We had a Sham fight this morning in

which 1100 men took part & you ought to

have heard the shots going off. We knocked off

at 12 & never did any more drill but went

& had our Coy Photos taken to be presented to

the S.Major for he is leaving us

This is all this

time so I will close

Remains

Your true Brother

George

Serg Murray

Reinforcement Coy

14 Battallion

B.Meadows