William Murray Wilson

William Murray Wilson (4 June 1914 – 28 September 1953; known as Murray) was a pilot and timber merchant from Perth, Western Australia.

Murray was born in Claremont[2] on 4 June 1914 to Jim and Edith Wilson. He grew up at the family's home at 98 Herbert Road, Shenton Park. It was a half acre block; the house was still there, although unrecognisable, in 2005.

He married Margaret on 2 July 1941.[4]

Murray served in the RAAF during the Second World War. Service number 406376.[3] His father died in June 1942, just after Murray turned 28.

Notes from small blue address book:[24]

Units and locations of service:[19]

On 17 July 1943 he left Australia and travelled to the UK, arriving on 2 September.

He was based at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre (PRC) Bournemouth for the first month, until 28 September when he was moved to No. 3 School of General Reconnaissance (S of GR) Squires Gate. He was there until 29 November.

Murray returned to Australia at the end of 1944, and was stationed with 13 Squadron RAAF at Gove in the Norther Territory.[22]

Aircraft flown: de Havilland Tiger Moth; Avro Anson; Lockheed Hudson, Mk I, II, III, V; de Havilland Dragon Rapide aka Dominie; Martin Baltimore; Bristol Blenheim, Mk IV, V (aka Bisley); and {wdl.

His crew while he was with 459 Sqadron was: Roy Woodhouse (navigator, born c.1910, also crewed with Murray at East Sale); Jack McMasters (gunner from Melbourne who possibly had 10 children); Arthur Smiles;[24] Bill McCarthy (from the Snowy Mountains); and Rasheed (from South Australia, possibly of Syrian descent).[[hmw:Roy Woodhouse's comments about Murray's logbook, c.1995]]

At some point during the war he suffered a possible fractured ankle when he fell from the rafters in a mess hall. He was off duty for six weeks and so returned to Perth. There is a photo of him and Margaret at Safety Bay with his leg in plaster and using a walking stick.

For his service during the war, Murray was awarded[1] four campaign stars (1939–45 Star, Atlantic Star, Africa Star & Clasp, and Pacific Star) and three medals (Defence Medal, War Medal 1939–45, and Australia Service Medal 1939-45).

In 1948 his uncle C.M. Wilson lent Margaret one thousand pounds.[8]

Scan of a simple business card.
Murray's business card.

By the early '50s, Murray was a director in the timber firm C.M. Wilson Co Pty Ltd which was founded by his uncle Charles William McHarg Wilson and operated from premises on Troode Street and Stone Street in West Perth.[5]

On the evening of Monday, September 28 1953.[6][7][9] just prior to a shareholders' meeting at the company offices, Murray and another director (William Ewart Livingstone) were shot dead by a former director[10] (and current shareholder) of the company, William Charles Fawcett. The weapon was a sawn-off .303 rifle,[11][5][12] with which Fawcett shot each of his victims once through their chests; they were both dead within minutes.[5] Murray worked at the office, and Fawcett had waited outside in his vehicle until he saw Livingstone arrive.[14] The three men were alone in the office.[15] Livingstone had brought his rifle with him that day with the intention of killing both men.[16]

Fawcett was seen by Livingstone's daughter[17] leaving the office after the shooting and driving away. He went home to his wife at their home at 66 Victoria Avenue, Claremont (near Murray's home in Congdon Street, Swanbourne)[17], told her what he had done, cleaned the gun, and waited for the police to arrive.[16] He was arrested either one[13] or four[18] hours later. The next day he was charged with murder,[18] but later a jury found against this.

He said that his motive was financial: he believed that the directors were trying to cheat him out of his share in the company.[16] He had attempted legal action, but didn't have a case.[16]

The trial was held on the evening of Monday, 14 December, and the "elderly", "diminutive", "white-haired"[15] Fawcett was found not guilty on the grounds of insanity. He was also in the timber trade.[17]

Fawcett had expressed "interest in the Rifle Club movement" in 1940.[23]

Electoral rolls:

References

  1. Letter to WM Wilson from the Department of Air, 18 September 1953. https://www.flickr.com/photos/freosam/14993078453 retrieved 24 October 2014.

  2. Registry of Births, Deaths, and Marriages. Registration number 208 in the district of Claremont.

  3. From NAA series #A9300: ``WILSON WILLIAM MURRAY: Service Number - 406376 Date of birth - 04 Jun 1914: Place of birth - CLAREMONT WA Place of enlistment - PERTH WA: Next of Kin - WILSON HELEN Deceased.''

  4. Family Notices (1941, July 5). The West Australian (Perth, WA), p. 1. Retrieved October 30, 2018, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47151167 "WILSON--DONEGAN.—On July 2. 1941 (by special licence), at St. George's Cathedral Perth, by the Rev. Dean Moore, William Murray (R.A.A.F.), second son of Mr. and Mrs. J. H. Wilson, of Shenton Park, to Helen Margaret, second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. Hall, of West Perth and Carnarvon."

  5. COMPANY CHIEFS MURDERED IN W.A. The Mercury p. 2, 29 September 1953. Hobart, Tasmania. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article27174075 "A propelling pencil carried by one of the men was cut in two by a bullet before it entered his body."

  6. Index to general register of deaths Western Australia/Registrar General. [Perth, W.A.: Government Printer, 1967-198-.] Prepared in accordance with the requirements of section 17 of the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages Act, 1984-1956. 1841-1896, 1897-1905, 1906-1980 Microfiche Drawer no. 42; Call no. mc N 651 in the Newspapers/Microforms Reading room at the National Library of Australia.

  7. Index to death notices in the West Australian/ Western Australian Genealogical Society. [Bayswater, W.A.]: The Society, [1989]. 1985-1989, 1990-1992, 1993-1994, 1997-1998. Microfiche Drawer no. 44; Call no. mc N 486 in the Newspapers/Microforms Reading room at the National Library of Australia.

  8. Pers. comm. between Sam Wilson and WMW's son Ron.

  9. Rifle Victim Left Estate Of £4,587 November 1953, The West Australian. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52943092

  10. Verdict Of Insanity At Murder Trial. Sydney Morning Herald, 15 December 1953, p. 8. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18401354

  11. Found Guilty But Insane. Townsville Daily Bulletin, 16 December 1953, p. 1. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article63215264

  12. 2 TIMBER DIRECTORS KILLED IN WA OFFICE. Barrier Miner, Broken Hill, NSW. 29 September 1953, p. 2. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50066887

  13. Directors Shot Dead in W.A. (1953, September 29). The Age (Melbourne, Vic.: 1854--1954), p. 3. Retrieved August 13, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article206461419

  14. Murder of Timber Directors. Barrier Miner Broken Hill, NSW. 30 September 1953, p. 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article50067079

  15. New Angle In W.A. Murders. The Advertiser, Adelaide, SA. 30 September 1953, p. 3. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article48928021

  16. Double Murder Charge Remand, Sunday Times (Perth), p25, 18 October 1953. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article59680487

  17. FAWCETT IS AGAIN REMANDED. Mirror (Perth, WA) 17 October 1953 p. 1. http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article75787673

  18. Double Murder Charge In W.A., The Sydney Morning Herald. 30 September 1953 p.~6 http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18379987 "He stood silently at attention during the proceedings, which lasted little more than 30 seconds. He was not represented by counsel."

  19. W.M. Wilson's RAAF log book

  20. Airgraph 1943-08-15 Constance to Murray

  21. National Archives of Australia. Item ID: 1158170. Unit history of number 459 Squadron - February 1942 to April 1945. Series number: A9186; Control symbol: 145.

  22. National War Memorial. Photograph. Gove, NT. 1945-06-29. An informal group portrait of a RAAF crew discussing their next armed reconnaissance flight in a Lockheed Ventura bomber of No. 13 Squadron RAAF.

  23. Letter from WC Fawcett re medals (Fawcett military record, page 19).

  24. Small blue address book.

This page is also available as a PDF.

Related items

Item 335 – Wilson family airgraphs

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Airgraphs_to_Murray_Wilson,_package.jpg
Item 154 – Murray and Margaret Wilson, (folder1-142)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Murray_and_Margaret_Wilson,_restored.png
Item 20 – Murray and Margaret Wilson at a ball with friends, (folder1-51)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Murray_and_Margaret_Wilson_at_a_ball_with_friends_(full).png
Item 310 – W.M. Wilson's RAAF log book bundle, (ajw)

https://archive.org/details/HMW305/page/n0/mode/1up
Item 305 – W.M. Wilson's RAAF log book,

https://archive.org/details/HMW305/page/n0/mode/1up
Item 309 – Murray Wilson, 1941 air navigator's certificate, (ajw)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1941_Murray_Wilson_air_navigator%27s_certificate.png
Item 311 – Secret orders to the Middle East, 1942,

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1942_May_Secret_orders_to_the_Middle_East.png
Item 336 – Airgraph 1943-07-06 Edith to Murray, (folder2-120)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Airgraph_1943-07-06_Edith_to_Murray.png
Item 337 – Airgraph 1943-07-22 Jean to Murray, (folder2-125)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Airgraph_1943-07-22_Jean_to_Murray.png
Item 334 – Airgraph 1943-08-05 Adele to Murray, (folder2-121)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Airgraph_1943-08-05_Adele_to_Murray.png
Item 338 – Airgraph 1943-08-15 Constance to Murray, (folder2-132)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Airgraph_1943-08-15_Constance_to_Murray.png
Item 339 – Airgraph 1943-08-26 Edith to Murray, (folder2-122)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Airgraph_1943-08-26_Edith_to_Murray.png
Item 340 – Airgraph 1943-08-30 Edith to Murray, (folder2-131)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Airgraph_1943-08-30_Edith_to_Murray.png
Item 341 – 6 September 1943, airgraph from Edith to Murray, (folder2-157)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Airgraph_1943-09-06_Edith_to_Murray.png
Item 342 – Airgraph 1943-09-09 Edith to Murray, (folder2-149)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Airgraph_1943-09-09_Edith_to_Murray.png
Item 343 – Airgraph 1943-09-15 Edith to Murray, (folder2-150)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Airgraph_1943-09-15_Edith_to_Murray.png
Item 348 – Airgraph 1943-10-06 Edith to Murray, (folder2-124)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Airgraph_1943-10-06_Edith_to_Murray.png
Item 315 – Letter of three days from Murray Wilson to Margaret, starting 1945-10-26,

https://archive.org/details/HMW315/page/n0/mode/1up
Item 233 – 1945-11 Telegrams re Murray's return, (folder3)

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1945-11-06_Telegram_Murray_to_Margaret_Wilson.tif
Item 316 – 1945-11-06 Murray Wilson to Margaret,

https://archive.org/details/HMW316/page/n0/mode/1up
Item 207 – Newspaper article re Fawcett, 1975, (ajw)

https://archive.org/details/hmw207