Stockwell War Memorial

Friends of Stockwell War Memorial & Gardens

M names

William Lawrence Murray

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W. L. Murray
Service no. 2251
Rifleman, London Regiment (City of London Rifles), 6th Battalion
Killed in action on 25 September 1915 at age 21
CWGC: “Son of Alec and Elizabeth Alice Murray, of 37, Kay Rd., Stockwell, London.”
Remembered at Maroc British Cemetery, Grenay, France

Information from the 1911 census

In 1911 William Lawrence Murray was a junior clerk working for the Amalgamated Press and living in a three-roomed apartment at 15 Rhodesia Road, Stockwell. The census return included William and his mother, Elizabeth Alice Murray, 44, born in St Giles in the Fields, London. Alec Murray is not on the return.

Joseph Charles Murray

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Joseph Charles Murray
Joseph Charles Murray

J. C. Murray

Royal West Kent Regiment
Died 7 May 1920, aged about 34
Remembered at Stockwell War Memorial
Steve Wright has sent some information about his great-uncle Joseph Charles Murray.
Joseph Charles Murray, a porter in civilian life, was born in St Giles parish, London, in about 1886. His father was Charles Murray. He had seven sisters: Anges, Lizzy, Gracie, Maude, Ivy, Bess and Lucy.
He was married first to Emily Abigail Harris, with whom he had a daughter, Winifred. After Emily died, he married Florence Rogers, with whom he had a son, Joseph Edwin.
Joseph joined the Royal West Kent Regiment Army in 1903. The medical officer noted down his height – 5 feet 4.5 inches – and weight – 112 pounds (8 stone). His chest measured 31 inches, and 33.5 when expanded. He had a fresh complexion with brown hair and grey eyes. There was a tattoo on his right forearm, and scars on both knees, the left thigh, back of the neck and head and right eyebrow. However, by 1907 he was having trouble with his ears. He was diagnosed with double ottorhea, from which he recovered. He served in Malta, and after a spell in the Army reserve after 1906, he was mobilised on 5 August 1914, almost immediately the war started.
By 30 June 1915 he was discharged as no longer physically fit for war service. He was suffering from chronic inflammation of the middle ear, which led to loss of balance and headache. He was 29. The documentation states that his character was “very good” and that he had been awarded two badges. However, the medical board decided that this was not the result of active service, climate or ordinary military service, and although it was permanent he was not entitled to incapacity payments. Later, the Army adjusted the assessment and decided that it was a quarter due to his service.
By 1917 Murray was described in Army medical reports as “very deaf.” Murray, then living in Kibworth Street, Kennington, died on 7 May 1920 from otitis media and cerebrospinal meningitis (pneumococcal).
Postscript: Joseph’s grandson Edwin (Joseph Edwin’s son) was killed in 1961 in the Lanfranc air disaster. 34 boys and two teachers from Lanfranc Secondary Modern School in Croydon, as well as three crew, were lost when their plane crashed in Norway.

Alfred George Murphy

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A. G. Murphy
Service no. 126952
Private, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry), 203rd Coy.; formerly 21886, Bedfordshire Regiment*
Born in Lambeth; enlisted in Lambeth
Died on 29 March 1918 at age 19
CWGC: “Son of Mrs Alice Mary Murphy, of 2 Victoria Place, Priory Grove, South Lambeth, London.”
Remembered at St. Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen, France

National Roll of the Great War 1914-1918

MURPHY, A. G., Pte., Devonshire Regt.* and M.G.C.
He joined in February 1917, and was later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps, with which unit he proceeded to the Western Front in the following year. After only a short period of active service, he made the supreme sacrifice, being killed in action on March 29th, 1918. He was entitled to the General Service and Victory Medals.
“He passed out of the sight of men by the path of duty and self-sacrifice.”
2, Victoria Place, Priory Grove, S.W.8.
*Discrepancy between the National Roll and Soldiers Died in the Great War

Information from the 1911 census

Alfred George Murphy was a 12-year-old schoolboy in 1911. He lived with his parents and siblings in 5 rooms at 6 Priory Grove. He was one of 7 children. Walter Robert John Murphy, 39, was a butcher from Westminster; Alice Mary Murphy, 37, was also from Westminster.
Walter John Robert Murphy, 16, was an errand boy
Charles Thomas Murphy, 15, was a milkboy
Frederick William Murphy, 13
Alfred George, 12
Harold Edward Murphy, 10
Alice Mary Murphy, 8
John Murphy, 6

Hubert Mullett

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H. Mullett
Service no. 11626
Private, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment), 11th Battalion
Died on 10 August 1917 aged about 25
CWGC: “Son of Mr J. E. Mullett, of 101 Stockwell Park Road, Brixton, London.”
Remembered at Godewaersvelde British Cemetery, France and on the war shrine at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell Park Road, London SW9 0DA

Information from the 1911 census
Hubert Mullett, 19, a clerk, lived at 101 Stockwell Park Road, an 8-roomed house. His father, James Edwin Mullett, 60, was an architect from Camberwell. His mother, Alice Mullett, 51, was from Marylebone. There were seven children (two siblings had died):
Edwin Mullett, 26, a clerk for the Author’s Society, born in Westminster
Maurice Mullett, 24, a clerk for an insurance company, born in Westminster
Hubert Mullett, 19, a clerk for an engineering company, born in Lambeth
Allen Mullett, 16, a solicitor’s clerk, born in Lambeth
Christine Mullett, 22, a teacher for London County Council, born in the Strand
Helena Mullett, 21, no occupation, born in the Strand
In 1901 the Mullets were living at 218 Wandsworth Road. The 1901 census includes Guy Mullett, then 18, was working as a surveyor’s assistant; born in Westminster.

George Thomas Mullett

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G. T. Mullett
Service no. 8760
Serjeant, Dorsetshire Regiment, 1st Battalion
Born at Pimlico; enlisted at Dorchester, Dorset; lived in Clapham
Killed in action on 21 May 1918, aged about 28
Remembered at Arras Memorial, France

Brother of Arthur Joseph Mullett

British Army WWI Service Records 1914-1920

George Thomas Mullett signed up with the Dorsetshire Regiment in Dorchester on 15 November 1909, ending his civilian role of barman. Perhaps he didn’t completely leave his old life behind. In 1911 he was severely reprimanded for allowing a man to smoke cigarettes on parade.

Evidently, Mullett learned from his mistake – there are no other misdemeanours on his conduct record. Rather, the files detail his steady rise through the ranks. He was promoted to Corporal in October 1913 and to Serjeant in September the following year.

Mullett married Lucy Emma Cane at St Michael’s Church, Stockwell on 16 April 1916. Emma had a six-year-old son – Lewis George Cane, whom Mullett lists as “illegitimate.”

On 1 July 1916, his brother Frederick James was killed. George Thomas survived until five months before the Armistice. A note in the file says that he was wounded on 31 May 1918. Two weeks later this was amended to “wounded and missing” and then again in late August to “to be regarded for official purposes as having died.”

Mullett was 5 feet 7⅞ inches, weighed a little under 10 stone and had a 36-inch chest. He had hazel eyes and brown hair. There was a a scar on his right cheek.

Arthur Joseph Mullett

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A. J. Mullett
Service no. 130014
Pioneer, Royal Engineers, 3rd Battalion Special Brigade; formerly 35044, London Regiment
Born in Lambeth; enlisted at Holborn; lived in Lambeth
Died of wounds on 1 July 1916, aged about 21
Remembered at Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France

Brother of George Thomas Mullett

Information from the censuses

In 1911 Arthur Joseph Mullett, then a 14-year-old schoolboy, lived at 12 Ely Place, Stockwell with his parents, a brother and a sister. The family had lived at that address since at least 1901. His parents were from Dorset: Henry Mullett, 51, was a horsekeeper for a brewery (a job he was doing at the time of the 1901 census), born in North Matravers; Harriett Mullett, 52, was from Swanage. Emily Mullett, 26, was an ironer for a laundry, born in Lambeth; William Mullett, 23, was a welder for a bus company, also born in Lambeth; Arthur Mullett was born in Battersea. The family occupied 4 rooms. Elizabeth Mullett (in 1901 a laundry machine hand) and George Mullett (in 1901 working as a printer’s boy in the lithography department) had left home.

Information from Terry Reeves

Around March 1916 Arthur would have been transferred from the London Regiment to the Royal Engineers Special Brigade, who were responsible for much of Britain’s offensive chemical warfare effort on the Western Front. Arthur would have been sent initially to Helfaut, some 4 miles south of St Omer, where the Special Brigade had established their expeditionary force Depot. He would have been billeted in one of the surrounding villages as the 3rd Battalion formed up. The unit was a cylinder company responsible for dispensing gas from heavy cylinders which had to be carried into the front line, often with assistance from the infantry, and installed in the front line trenches.

On the night of 30 June/1 July 1916, Arthur’s K Company detachment was tasked to release cylinders containing “White Star” gas, so-called because of the white star emblem on the cylinder.  They were filled with a 50/50 mix of phosgene and chlorine. The former had a low vapour pressure and needed a propellant, which was provided by the chlorine which had a higher vapour pressure. The release of this gas was part of a minor operation in support of 2nd Australian Brigade at Ploegsteert in Belgium. The battalion war diary noted the following:

“106116 Cpl R. G. Williams, 1282286 Pioneer A Lewis and 130014 Pioneer AJ Mullett were working in an emplacement, their Tower Respirators were fixed efficiently. A shell burst in front of our parapet and blew a cloud of gas back so that some entered the bay occupied by these men. They all felt a slight irritation and reported to their section commander, who ordered them to go to at once to the dressing station. The two pioneers remained, but later Cpl Williams said that he felt quite well and returned to his work. He was sent back to the hospital at once. All three were dead by the following morning.”

Cpl Williams and Pioneer Lewis are recorded as dying on 30 June and Pioneer Mullet dying on 1 July at No. 8 Casualty Clearing Station. 

The report continued:

“The Tower Respirator which each man was wearing throughout the attack is proof against White Star gas. 

“It is surmised that respirators must have been temporarily displaced by a shell which is known to have wrecked the emplacement.”

From a technical point of view, phosgene had a delayed-action effect, of anything up 48 hours. Any exertion could bring about tiredness and collapse during that time which fits with the casualties described above. 

All three men are buried in Baileull Communal Cemetery. Cpl Williams and Pioneer Lewis side by side and Arthur Mullett just a few graves away in the same row.