OUR HEROES – THEIR STORIES

Arthur Murray Sweetapple, one of the 2/33rd Battalion’s most distinguished soldiers, upheld a proud family history when he was one of the first soldiers to volunteer to fight for his country at the outbreak of World War II, just as his father, Arthur, had done in World War I. Their service numbers tell the story. Murray’s was WX96, the W indicating he was a proud Western Australian. When he died at the age of 100 in 2019 he was thought to be the last surviving veteran with a two-digit service number. His father, Arthur Henry Sweetapple’s service number was 4 meaning he was just the fourth Western Australian to join the 10th Light Horse Regiment of Gallipoli fame.

Sheer courage also ran in the family. Arthur took part in the suicidal attack on The Nek, on August 17, 1915,one of the most courageous and tragic in the annals of war. Arthur, then just aged 22, watched two waves of Victorians go “over the top” of the trenches, and almost to a man, were cut down by murderous rifle and machinegun fire.

Arthur’s C Troop of the 10 th Light Horse Regiment, was in the fourth wave. Arthur was wounded, but miraculously survived.

Murray showed outstanding bravery many times with the 2/33rd , no more so than we he and four others soldiers stormed a French Fort, Fort Khiam, during the Syrian campaign.

When he enlisted on November 7, 1939, the minimum age for a man to join the Army was 20. Murray gave his birthdate as September 25, 1919, which would have made him 20. In fact, his real birthdate was November 25, making him 19 when he joined.

His first posting was as an artilleryman with the 3/3rd Field Regiment. He trained at Ingleburn, in Sydney, before leaving Fremantle by ship on May 30, 1940, bound for Gourock in Scotland where he arrived on June 17, 1940. A week after, France fell to the Germans.

The day after France fell, the Australian 72nd Infantry Battalion, later to become the 2/33rd Australian Infantry Battalion was formed in Tidworth, England.

Murray was posted to the 2/33rd two weeks later as an infantry man. He was appointed Acting Lance Corporal soon after then promoted to Acting Corporal. Two days later, Murray had his first brush with Royalty when King George VI paid a visit to the troops and the battalion performed a march past. Murray was to have his second brush with Royalty around 80 years later when George’s daughter, Queen Elizabeth II sent him a telegram on account of his doing ‘a Don Bradman’ and batting for a Century!.

Murray spent eight months in England. He had a larrikin streak. One cold English winter’s night he and fellow larrikin, Jack Balfour-Ogilvy, played a prank on their company’s widely disliked Sergeant Major.

Murray recalled how he and Balfour-Ogilvy had sneaked out of their tent in the snow, crept over to the CSM’s tent and removed all of the tent pegs before slipping back to their own warm beds. Murray said: “A big gust of wind came along and the CSM’s tent came crashing to the ground, followed by him coming out into the snow with his long-johns and boots.

He wasn’t much pleased and was screaming at the top of his voice “WHO DID THIS?” He woke up the camp.. Nobody ever owned up and things actually got better after that as I think the C.S.M. knew where he stood with us”.

With the fear of imminent German invasion of England now passed, the 2/33rd Battalion shipped to the Middle East on January 5, 1941. On arrival, Murray undertook an engineer’s course, and was appointed Acting Sergeant in 30 May, 1941.

Murray saw hard fighting against the Vichy French during his time in Syria, but like most veterans he never talked about it, although his courage, and part, in helping capture Fort Khiam is recorded in The Footsoldiers.

Because of his skills as an instructor Murray was transferred to the 25th Australian Infantry Training Brigade from 2/33rd Battalion in August 1941. His rank of Sergeant was confirmed in December that year. He left the Middle East in February, 1942, to take up a post with the 4th Military District of South Australia, Murray suffered periods of illness during October of 1942 and on the 22nd December 1942 he was seconded to Australian Army Fighting Vehicles School. He was there for two months (until 17th February 1943) and he then returned to the W.A. Lines Of Communications for a period of 8 months (February to October 1943).

His leadership qualities were recognised when posted in October, 1943, to 7 OCTU (Officer Cadet Training School) for Officer training. (Discharged from the ranks 22nd January 1944 for the purposes of appointment to commissioned rank).

On the 23rd January 1944 he was appointed the rank of Lieutenant, then being sent to the Canungra Jungle Training School in Queensland.

Ironcially, Murray was posted for a very brief time to the 2/32nd Infantry Battalion, which was a sister battalion going back to his U.K. days in Tidworth. (27th November 1944)

Murray had another brief posting to the 2nd New Guinea Infantry Battalion (15th December 1944) and landed at Lae on the north coast of New Guinea on the 16th December 1944. Two days later (18th December 1944) he was flown to Jacquinot Bay on New Britain. He was posted to the 28th Battalion where he served around Waitavalo.

From then until the end of the war in August 1945, the 28th took part in a containment campaign against the much larger Japanese force, as the Australians attempted to confine the Japanese to the Gazelle Peninsula and Rabaul.

The 28th Battalion kept up a program of patrolling through the jungle, but made little contact with the Japanese.

O VP Day, August, 15, 1945 Murray was in the jungles of New Britain.

Murray’s battalion remained on the island of New Britain processing Japanese prisoners of war and he embarked from Jacquinot Bay in September, 1945.

On October 3, 1945, Murray was back in Western Australia where it all began.

His appointment as an Officer in the Australian Imperial Force was terminated on the October, 13, 1945. He was awarded six medals for his military service and five years after the war ended was awarded the Efficiency Medal.

Murray served a total of 2,168 days in the Army.

Of that time, 1006 days were spent on Active Service in Australia and 947 days on Active Service outside of Australia.

Although with the 2/33rd Australian Infantry Battalion for a short time, but he was there during the crucial early days when the unit was formed, and was a member of the battalion during its baptism of fire in the U.K. and the Middle East. Despite his many postings, Murray always considered the 2/33rd to be his “home battalion”.