The University of Glasgow Story

2nd Lieutenant Charles Robinson Murray

Biography of 2nd Lieutenant Charles Robinson Murray

A native of Kirkudbrightsire, Charles Murray, born in 1883, was the youngest son of William R Murray, a tailor and Colour-Sergeant of the Kirkudbrightshire Company of the Galloway rifles. Charles attended Ringford Public School before winning a bursary to Kirkudbright Academy where he showed his academic promise by becoming school dux. He won a bursary to the University of Glasgow and he matriculated there in the autumn of 1900 to study in the Arts Faculty.

Success did not come so easily to him at university as it had at school. Political Economy, taken in his third year, was the only subject he passed first time. He took the class of Natural Philosophy at the University of Aberdeen in the session 1903-1904 but with no greater success at the first diet. Success did come, however, and he graduated from the University of Glasgow in April 1904. After graduation he trained to be a teacher at the Training College in Aberdeen and taught first at Juniper Green, Edinburgh and then at Kingsland School, Peebles, where he was a Science master.

In December 1914 Charles enlisted as a Private in the Royal Scots. Nine months later he was commissioned to the King’s Own Scottish Borderers as 2nd Lieutenant. He longed for active service, but when it came, at the Somme, he had been less than a month at the front when he was fatally wounded while commanding his company. A fellow officer, a divinity student who had been drawn to Charles by 'his fine religious spirit and character', wrote words of comfort to his mother, telling of the very high regard he was held in by his men. Charles Murray fell at the Somme on 16th September 1916, aged 33.

Summary

2nd Lieutenant Charles Robinson Murray
Rank: 2nd Lieutenant
Regiment: 9th Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers
Degree: MA
Awards: N/A
Comments: N/A
Note/Press Clipping: N/A
Photo ID:

Sources

Biography: Biographical details and obituary from the Kirkudbrightshire Advertiser, 29th September 1916, contributed by Robert N Smith

Faculty, Registry and General Council Records, University of Glasgow

Memorial Place: Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Debt of Honour Register

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