| Rank | Private |
| Service # | A86977 |
| Unit # | Lincoln & Welland Regt |
Born in Wheatley, ON. Husband of Mrs. Helen Reid of R.R. #1 Wheatley, ON. Murray was reported deployed overseas at the age of nineteen years old. On 2/08/44 Murray’s regiment attacked the French village of Tilly-la- Compagne. During the fight his unit was surrounded and captured by the Germans. He was first sent to Stalag 12-D-Trier at Luxemburg and from there to Stalag 4-B Mulberk and then on to Laager 81, a work camp at Liepzig.
Laager 81 was a forced labour camp were the POW’s (contrary to the Geneva Convention) were required to work in the mines or at the city gas company. The POW’s suffered many privations while in capture a starvation diet of turnip soup or ‘stew’, likely without any meat and turnip peel tea. That diet and the hard work was also augmented by Allied bombing raids.
As the end of the war became evident the prisoners were subject to a forced march across Germany. On evening while resting in a barn Murray and a friend kicked some of the barn boards out and escaped into the night. They walked towards the advancing Allied army’s and finally reached an American patrol.
He was quickly repatriated back to Canada. Reported returning from overseas duty aboard the vessel Queen Mary docking at New York City. CDN 11/07/45. He was back in Canada before his twenty-first birthday. WJ 5/11/14 (P).
Notice something wrong with this record? Or, do you have something to add? Report it using our online form.
