PROMOTING THE HISTORY AND ARCHIVES OF MT COMPASS
Turner, Murray
Murray Jack Turner (Private)
Born on 29th March 1918* he was one of 4 boys born to parents Ernest Turner and Eva Turner (nee Hender) at Murray Bridge. His family bought a property at Mt Jagged when Murray was aged 13 and following his return from the war, this became Murray’s inherited farm.
He signed up with the AIF on 1st June 1940, at the age of 22 while an unmarried farm labourer. His brother James William who helped on the farm, joined the Home Guard in Mt Compass. Another brother, Claude, also served during World War 2 but was not a resident of Mt Compass.
Murray met his wife Clara Evelyn Dare of Mount Bryan East while he was in Adelaide, on leave from the army. Clara (known as Ev) was living in Burra but happened to be in Adelaide at the same time. They married as soon as possible after Murray returned from the war, on 6th December 1945 in the Mt Bryan East Methodist Church.
Murray initially became a Bandsman with the army, having previously played the trombone and tuba with the Salvation Army Band in Victor Harbor. He would later join the 2/6 Australian Field Ambulance as a stretcher bearer.
The Mt Compass Knitting Circle, which had been formed by local women in 1940, sent comfort gifts to those serving during this war, including parcels posted to Murray. Their Minute Book acknowledges receiving a thank you letter from him for the gifts they had sent.
Murray was dispatched to the Middle East in October 1940 but was brought back in March 1942 as the war came closer to Australia. After receiving jungle training in India and Queensland he was twice sent to New Guinea as a stretcher bearer, including on the infamous Kokoda Track.
Although he rarely spoke of anything to do with the war once he returned, Murray did in later life, tell his family a few details about a particular experience in New Guinea. While stretcher bearing a wounded soldier, Murray and his mates became separated from their unit for two weeks. Lost and hungry, they were forced to remain deathly quiet at one point, while Japanese soldiers walked right by them in the jungle. After two weeks they made it back to camp but had lost a lot of weight.
The book “The Brown and Blue Diamond at War” (a detailed history of Murray’s 2/27th Battalion) describes the tremendous difficulty faced in transporting wounded soldiers along the Kokoda Track. Usually, four men were allotted to carry these stretcher cases, but in this extremely difficult terrain, ten men would often be used due to the huge physical effort that was required.
Murray also suffered two bouts of malaria during 1943, being hospitalised on each occasion. (His family recalls that this still caused him problems in later life, for which he was prescribed medication.) His final overseas stint was in the Netherlands East Indies (Indonesia – Morotai & Balikapan) from June to November in 1945.
When the war ended Murray was stranded on a beach in Borneo, awaiting transport home. His unit lived in tents directly on the beach, but also had a number of Japanese prisoners whose destiny was the source of much discussion. Despite the cruel treatment some of their fellow soldiers had suffered, Murray insisted that as the war was over, these prisoners should be allowed to live, after which, the prisoners took great care of him, including catching fish for his meals.
He was finally discharged on the 25th November 1945, with Murray having served a total of 2,005 days continuous full time service. Less than two weeks later, he was married.
Murray and his new wife Ev, lived on the property “Fairfield” on the corner of Victor Harbor and Leane Roads. This was a 263 acre farm that once it had been cleared, was operated as a dairy but later swapped over to the less time-consuming, sheep.
Murray joined the Victor Harbor Citizens Band and was heavily involved with the Church of Christ in both Mount Compass, and later in Victor Harbor. He often acted as the “Welcomer”, handing out hymn books as people entered the church.
They sold and moved to Victor Harbor in 1972, for a life of semi-retirement. Murray took on a variety of casual jobs such as collecting the tickets at Victor Cinema and sheep shearing as well as touring the country by caravan while fruit picking.
They raised 6 children, Jenny, Colin, Rhonda, Sid, Lindsay and John, plus a child who died in infancy.
Murray passed away on 18th September 2003, while Ev passed in 2010. They were both cremated and their ashes buried together in the Victor Harbor Cemetery.
*Murray’s correct birthdate was not discovered until he saw his birth certificate at the age of 60, while applying for the Veterans pension. It was only then realised that he was born one day later than he believed for most of his life. The incorrect date is on all his service records.
References: Service Records NAA, trove.nla.gov.au, Mt Compass Archives, Jenny Collett (nee Turner), “The Brown and Blue Diamond at War” book by John Burns.
