In November 1947 Peter McMurray was living at the ANZAC Hostel in Launceston, a place where veterans who were down on their luck or homeless could get a bed etc. It would appear that he had no family in Tasmania, his next of kin was his mother who was living in Liverpool, England. Peter McMurray had been in Tasmania working as a farm manager for at least ten years prior to enlistment based on testimonies given in support of a later application for a block of land through the Soldier Settlement Scheme. It would appear he did not take up the block instead living at Scamander and later St. Helens and working as a clerk.
Peter McMurray enlisted in January 1916 and initially allotted to the 16th reinforcements for the 12th Battalion. In May 1916 he was transferred to the 52nd Battalion. With four years experience with the Queens Edinburgh Volunteers, he soon started to work his way up to the rank of sergeant. With the disbanding of the 52nd Battalion he was taken on strength with the 51st Battalion, returning to Australia in July 1919.
Three other brothers also served — David served with the 26th Battalion and was killed in action at Ypres in October 1917, John who served with the Army Service Corps and James who served with the Royal Artillery and died on 1 August 1918.
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