Open/Close Toolbox
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 New Zealand License
Format: Person
Linked To
Place of BirthCollectionPersonImage
Copyright
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 New Zealand LicenseThis licence lets you remix, tweak, and build upon our work noncommercially and although your new works must also acknowledge us and be noncommercial, you do not have to license the derivative works on the same terms.
Menu
- People
- Places
- Themes
- Surprise Me
Private John Murray Eaglesome
Description
TitlePrivate John Murray EaglesomeAlternative NameMurraySummaryA soldier in World War One. DescriptionJohn Murray, known as Murray, was born in Prebbleton 5 October 1891, eldest son of William Murray and Ellen Eaglesome. He married Grace May Woodfield at Rangiora on 29 June 1916, a month after he had enlisted. They had one daughter Joy Salisbury born 29th December 1916, whom he would never have met as she was born after he left. He was educated at the Prebbleton School and then took up work as a traction engine-driver. He was described as a capable and trustworthy driver, and had been employed by Messrs J. Greenslade (Prebbleton), J. Judson (Woodend), and lastly the Gibb Bros at Hororata. He was 5ft 6½in tall with a pale complexion, light blue eyes and light brown hair. He reported that he had had pneumonia and inflammation of the bowel before enlisting. The medical report noted slight varicose veins but he was considered fit enough for the front.
Murray enlisted 30 May 1916 and was assigned to the 17th Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Battalion, C Company. He embarked from Wellington on 23rd September 1916 on board the Pakeha. He arrived in Devonport on 18th November and marched into Sling Camp the same day. He left for France with the Reserve Group on 9th December and was attached to the strength at Etaples a day later. He joined the 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment in the field on 7 January 1917. The crowded conditions often triggered disease and Murray was sent to hospital with scabies on 9th March for treatment returning to his unit on 17 March. He survived the fighting until he was killed in action during the disastrous Passchendaele battle on 12 October 1917, aged 26. He was buried near where he fell on Bellevue Spur but after the war he was reinterred in the Tyne Cot Cemetery. In New Zealand Murray is remembered on the Prebbleton and Hororata War Memorials.
'Tyne Cot' or 'Tyne Cottage' was the name given by the Northumberland Fusiliers to a barn which stood near the level crossing on the Passchendaele-Broodseinde road. The barn, which had become the centre of five or six German blockhouses, or pill-boxes, was captured by the 3rd Australian Division on 4 October 1917, in the advance on Passchendaele. One of these pill-boxes was unusually large and was used as an advanced dressing station after its capture. From 6 October to the end of March 1918, 343 graves were made, on two sides of it, by the 50th (Northumbrian) and 33rd Divisions, and by two Canadian units. The cemetery was in German hands again from 13 April to 28 September, when it was finally recaptured, with Passchendaele, by the Belgian Army. Tyne Cot Cemetery was greatly enlarged after the Armistice when remains were brought in from the battlefields of Passchendaele and Langemarck, and from a few small burial grounds, including the following: Iberian South Cemetery and Iberian Trench Cemetery, Langemarck, 1,200 metres North of Frezenberg, close to a farm called by the Army "Iberian". These contained the graves of 30 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in August-September, 1917, and March, 1918. Kink Corner Cemetery, Zonnebeke, on the road to Frezenberg, containing the graves of 14 soldiers from the United Kingdom, nine from Canada and nine from Australia, who fell in September-November, 1917. Levi Cottage Cemetery, Zonnbeke, near the road to Langemarck, containing the graves of ten soldiers from the United Kingdom, eight from Canada and three from Australia, who fell in September-November, 1917. Oostnieuwerke German Cemetery, in the village of Oostnieuwkerke, containing the graves of two soldiers from the United Kingdom. Praet-Bosch German Cemetery, Vladsloo, in the forest on the road from Kortewilde to Leke. Here were buried six officers of the R.F.C. and R.A.F. who fell in 1917-18. Staden German Cemetery, on the South-East side of the road to Stadenberg, containing the graves of 14 soldiers from the United Kingdom and ten from Canada who fell in 1915-1917. Waterloo Farm Cemetery, Passchendaele, 650 metres North-East of Gravenstafel, containing the graves of ten soldiers from Canada, seven from the United Kingdom and two from New Zealand, who fell in 1917-18. Zonnebeke British Cemetery No.2, on the road between Zonnebeke and Broodseinde, in which the Germans buried 18 men of the 2nd Buffs and 20 of the 3rd Royal Fusiliers who fell in April, 1915. It is now the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world in terms of burials. At the suggestion of King George V, who visited the cemetery in 1922, the Cross of Sacrifice was placed on the original large pill-box. There are three other pill-boxes in the cemetery. There are now 11,956 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in Tyne Cot Cemetery. 8,369 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to more than 80 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate 20 casualties whose graves were destroyed by shell fire. There are 4 German burials, 3 being unidentified. The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker. The Tyne Cot Memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery and commemorates nearly 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom and New Zealand who died in the Ypres Salient after 16 August 1917 and whose graves are not known. The memorial stands close to the farthest point in Belgium reached by Commonwealth forces in the First World War until the final advance to victory. The memorial was designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by F. V. Blundstone.First NameJohn MurrayLast NameEaglesomeFamilyMarriedHusband of Grace May Eaglesome, Curletts Rd., Riccarton, Christchurch.Son of William Murray Eaglesome and Ellen Eaglesome, of Simeon St., Spreydon, Christchurch. Date of Birth5 October 1891Place of BirthPrebbletonDate of Death12 October 1917Place of DeathPasschendaele, BelgiumCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death26Other Biographical InformationHis brother Robert James also killed.
Murray enlisted 30 May 1916 and was assigned to the 17th Reinforcements, Canterbury Infantry Battalion, C Company. He embarked from Wellington on 23rd September 1916 on board the Pakeha. He arrived in Devonport on 18th November and marched into Sling Camp the same day. He left for France with the Reserve Group on 9th December and was attached to the strength at Etaples a day later. He joined the 2nd Battalion Canterbury Regiment in the field on 7 January 1917. The crowded conditions often triggered disease and Murray was sent to hospital with scabies on 9th March for treatment returning to his unit on 17 March. He survived the fighting until he was killed in action during the disastrous Passchendaele battle on 12 October 1917, aged 26. He was buried near where he fell on Bellevue Spur but after the war he was reinterred in the Tyne Cot Cemetery. In New Zealand Murray is remembered on the Prebbleton and Hororata War Memorials.
'Tyne Cot' or 'Tyne Cottage' was the name given by the Northumberland Fusiliers to a barn which stood near the level crossing on the Passchendaele-Broodseinde road. The barn, which had become the centre of five or six German blockhouses, or pill-boxes, was captured by the 3rd Australian Division on 4 October 1917, in the advance on Passchendaele. One of these pill-boxes was unusually large and was used as an advanced dressing station after its capture. From 6 October to the end of March 1918, 343 graves were made, on two sides of it, by the 50th (Northumbrian) and 33rd Divisions, and by two Canadian units. The cemetery was in German hands again from 13 April to 28 September, when it was finally recaptured, with Passchendaele, by the Belgian Army. Tyne Cot Cemetery was greatly enlarged after the Armistice when remains were brought in from the battlefields of Passchendaele and Langemarck, and from a few small burial grounds, including the following: Iberian South Cemetery and Iberian Trench Cemetery, Langemarck, 1,200 metres North of Frezenberg, close to a farm called by the Army "Iberian". These contained the graves of 30 soldiers from the United Kingdom who fell in August-September, 1917, and March, 1918. Kink Corner Cemetery, Zonnebeke, on the road to Frezenberg, containing the graves of 14 soldiers from the United Kingdom, nine from Canada and nine from Australia, who fell in September-November, 1917. Levi Cottage Cemetery, Zonnbeke, near the road to Langemarck, containing the graves of ten soldiers from the United Kingdom, eight from Canada and three from Australia, who fell in September-November, 1917. Oostnieuwerke German Cemetery, in the village of Oostnieuwkerke, containing the graves of two soldiers from the United Kingdom. Praet-Bosch German Cemetery, Vladsloo, in the forest on the road from Kortewilde to Leke. Here were buried six officers of the R.F.C. and R.A.F. who fell in 1917-18. Staden German Cemetery, on the South-East side of the road to Stadenberg, containing the graves of 14 soldiers from the United Kingdom and ten from Canada who fell in 1915-1917. Waterloo Farm Cemetery, Passchendaele, 650 metres North-East of Gravenstafel, containing the graves of ten soldiers from Canada, seven from the United Kingdom and two from New Zealand, who fell in 1917-18. Zonnebeke British Cemetery No.2, on the road between Zonnebeke and Broodseinde, in which the Germans buried 18 men of the 2nd Buffs and 20 of the 3rd Royal Fusiliers who fell in April, 1915. It is now the largest Commonwealth war cemetery in the world in terms of burials. At the suggestion of King George V, who visited the cemetery in 1922, the Cross of Sacrifice was placed on the original large pill-box. There are three other pill-boxes in the cemetery. There are now 11,956 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in Tyne Cot Cemetery. 8,369 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to more than 80 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials commemorate 20 casualties whose graves were destroyed by shell fire. There are 4 German burials, 3 being unidentified. The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker. The Tyne Cot Memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery and commemorates nearly 35,000 servicemen from the United Kingdom and New Zealand who died in the Ypres Salient after 16 August 1917 and whose graves are not known. The memorial stands close to the farthest point in Belgium reached by Commonwealth forces in the First World War until the final advance to victory. The memorial was designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by F. V. Blundstone.First NameJohn MurrayLast NameEaglesomeFamilyMarriedHusband of Grace May Eaglesome, Curletts Rd., Riccarton, Christchurch.Son of William Murray Eaglesome and Ellen Eaglesome, of Simeon St., Spreydon, Christchurch. Date of Birth5 October 1891Place of BirthPrebbletonDate of Death12 October 1917Place of DeathPasschendaele, BelgiumCause of DeathKilled in actionAge at Death26Other Biographical InformationHis brother Robert James also killed.
Connections
CollectionSoldiers of Selwyn World War OnePersonDriver Robert James EaglesomeImageHororata War MemorialMore InformationAuckland War Memorial Cenotaph
Military Service
Memorial or CemeteryTyne Cot Cemetery, XXI-C4Hororata War MemorialPrebbleton War MemorialOccupation before EnlistingTraction Engine DriverRegiment or ServiceCanterbury Regiment, 2nd BattalionEnlistment Details30 May 1916Service Number26255Rank Last HeldPrivateEmbarkation23 September 1916Place of EmbarkationWellingtonTransportPakehaTheatre of WarWestern FrontCountryNew Zealand
Private John Murray Eaglesome. Selwyn Stories, accessed 09/02/2026, https://selwynstories.selwynlibraries.co.nz/nodes/view/450
