L/Sjt
John Wesley Murdock
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 28/03/1890 |
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Place of birth: Maynooth, Ontario, Canada |
General information
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Profession: Farmer |
Army information
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Country: Canada |
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Force: Canadian Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Lance Serjeant |
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Service number: 412273 |
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Enlistment date: 25/02/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Belleville, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada |
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Units: — Canadian Infantry, 28th Bn. (North West) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 07/11/1917 |
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Place of death: Passchendaele, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 27 |
Cemetery
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Tyne Cot Cemetery Plot: LX Row: D Grave: 4 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Lance Sergeant John Murdock served in the Canadian Infantry, 28th Battalion, part of the 6th Canadian Brigade, of the 2nd Canadian Division.
On the 6th of November 1917, the Battalion participated in an attack on Passchendaele. Along with the 27th and 31st Battalions, they managed to take the village and consolidate their objectives. The next day, on November 7th, the Battalion was still stationed at the front line in Passchendaele. Rations were brought up and wounded were evacuated.
Throughout the day there was heavy Germans shelling. In the afternoon, the 28th Battalion was relieved by the 22nd Canadian Battalion. Guides went to meet the relieving party on Abraham Heights at 5.45 pm and guided them into position. The relief was completed at 9.45 pm. After the relief, the 28th Battalion returned to billets at the hamlet of Potijze.
Lance Sergeant John Murdock was killed in action on the 7th of November 1917. Throughout the day, his Battalion experienced heavy German shelling, so it is highly possible he fell, due to the German shell fire. He was buried in the field near the ruins of the Passchendaele church. Altough his Circumstances of Death File mentions he was buried to the northwest of Passchendaele his remains were exhumed near the church after the war. Lance Sergeant John Murdock was reinterred in Tyne Cot Cemetery.
On the 6th of November 1917, the Battalion participated in an attack on Passchendaele. Along with the 27th and 31st Battalions, they managed to take the village and consolidate their objectives. The next day, on November 7th, the Battalion was still stationed at the front line in Passchendaele. Rations were brought up and wounded were evacuated.
Throughout the day there was heavy Germans shelling. In the afternoon, the 28th Battalion was relieved by the 22nd Canadian Battalion. Guides went to meet the relieving party on Abraham Heights at 5.45 pm and guided them into position. The relief was completed at 9.45 pm. After the relief, the 28th Battalion returned to billets at the hamlet of Potijze.
Lance Sergeant John Murdock was killed in action on the 7th of November 1917. Throughout the day, his Battalion experienced heavy German shelling, so it is highly possible he fell, due to the German shell fire. He was buried in the field near the ruins of the Passchendaele church. Altough his Circumstances of Death File mentions he was buried to the northwest of Passchendaele his remains were exhumed near the church after the war. Lance Sergeant John Murdock was reinterred in Tyne Cot Cemetery.
Sources 4
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Circumstances of Death http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/microform-digitization/ Sources used |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995), pg. 137-139. Sources used |
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Personnel Records of the First World War (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC) RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 6500 - 24). http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/search.aspx Sources used |
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War diaries: 28th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4935, Microfilm reel number: T-10739--T-10740, File number: 425). https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/464044 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=a6adb71d-167e-4a2f-80d2-dc26cf07b7f2 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5683881 |
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The Canadian Virtual War Memorial https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/464044 |