Brigadier Murray William James Bourchier

Ranks Held Captain, Lieutenant, Lieutenant Colonel, Major
Birth Date 04 April 1881
Death Date 16 December 1937
Final Rank Brigadier
Service Australian Imperial Force
Unit 4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
Conflict/Operation First World War, 1914-1918
Gazettes Published in London Gazette in 1918-01-18
Published in London Gazette in 1916-12-01
Published in London Gazette in 1920-06-11
Published in London Gazette in 1919-06-03
Published in London Gazette in 1919-06-05
Published in London Gazette in 1918-04-25
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1919-10-06
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1919-10-06
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1917-04-19
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1920-09-02
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1918-05-23
Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1918-09-24
Description

Murray William James Bourchier was born on 4 April 1881 at Pootilla, Bungaree, Victoria. He was educated in Melbourne, and in 1909 commanded a troop of light horse. At the outbreak of World War I, he was commissioned into the AIF as a lieutenant and left with the first contingent overseas. He served seven months on Gallipoli, and during the Sinai campaign in 1916-17 led the final assault on Beersheba. In 1918 after fighting through Palestine, he commanded a joint force in the final advance on Damascus. After returning to Australia, he remained an officer in the CMF, being promoted to Brigadier in 1931.

Bourchier was elected to the Victoria Parliament in 1921 and served in many roles until 1935. He died on 16 December 1937 while in London. He was posthumously knighted in 1938.

Collection items

    Document


    Diary of Philip Arthur Chambers, 1917-1918

Rolls

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    05 June 1919 on page 7190 at position 7
    Commonwealth Gazette
    06 October 1919 on page 1466 at position 60

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Major
    London Gazette
    01 December 1916 on page 11807 at position 28
    Commonwealth Gazette
    19 April 1917 on page 926 at position 36

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    18 January 1918 on page 954 at position 2
    Commonwealth Gazette
    23 May 1918 on page 1125 at position 105

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Major

  • First World War Nominal Roll:

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel

  • First World War Embarkation Roll:

    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Major

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Major

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    03 June 1919 on page 6922 at position 4
    Commonwealth Gazette
    06 October 1919 on page 1462 at position 6

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Captain

  • Honours and Awards:

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Lieutenant Colonel
    London Gazette
    11 June 1920 on page 6451 at position 1
    Commonwealth Gazette
    02 September 1920 on page 1144 at position 21

  • Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

    Unit
    4th Australian Light Horse Regiment
    Conflict
    First World War, 1914-1918
    Rank
    Major

Timeline

Date of birth 04 April 1881
Date of birth 04 April 1881
Date of enlistment 25 August 1914
Date of embarkation 19 October 1914
Date of recommendation honour or award 13 February 1916
Date of recommendation honour or award 15 February 1916
Other 1916-05-27 - 1918-01-28 Commanding Officer of the 4th Light Horse Regiment.
Date of recommendation honour or award 02 November 1917
Other 1918-01-03 - 1918-09-28 Commanding Officer of the 4th Light Horse Regiment.
Date of recommendation honour or award 14 June 1918
Other 1918-12-16 - 1919-04-27 Commanding Officer of the 4th Light Horse Regiment.
Date of recommendation honour or award 23 December 1918
Date returned to Australia 13 June 1919
Date returned to Australia 13 June 1919
Date of death 16 December 1937
Date of death 16 December 1937

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