In Memory of Chaplain 4th Class The Rev. S. G. McMURTRIE Army Chaplains' Department who died on 14 June 1919 M.A. Remembered with honour EGREMONT (ST. JOHN) CHURCHYARD Stanley Gibson McMurtrie, M.A., Chaplain 4th Class, Army Chaplains' Department. Stanley was born in 1877 at Frome, the son of Hugh McMurtrie, of Bank House, Highbridge, Somerset. Stanley was educated at Llandovery between 1893 and 1896, when he won an Open Mathematics Exhibition to St. Catherine's College, Cambridge in 1896. He played rugby for St. Catherine's, and graduated B.A. in 1899. Stanley maintained his association with Llandovery, and played cricket in the Old Boys' Match at the School in 1897. He also contributed to the College Building Fund in 1899. In 1903 Stanley became curate at Grange Sylvae, West Shankhill, Belfast, where he remained until 1905. He then served at Seapatrick, Barbridge, until 1907. He was then appointed Ministering Canon at Kilkenny Cathedral, Ireland, becoming Curate of the Cathedral in 1908. Further callings saw him at St. Saviour's, Woolcott Park, Bristol, and in 1912 he was ministering at St James's with All Saints, New Brighton, Birkenhead. On the 14th February, 1916 Stanley applied to join the Royal Army Chaplain's Department, and as he had said that he was "free at once" he was enlisted as a Chaplain to the Forces on the following day. He was passed as medically fit and described as "a nice, manly fellow". As he had asked for an overseas posting he was sent to the 60th Division which was serving on the Western Front in June 1916. In November 1916, the Division moved to Salonika, and then to Palestine in June, 1917. However, Stanley had contracted trench- fever and was later invalided home. He was discharged from the Army in 1917. He then became the Vicar of Egremont, Cheshire, but he had never really recovered from his illness on active service and died in London on the 14th June, 1919 following an operation. Stanley was 41 years old, and is buried in the churchyard at St John's, Egremont, Cheshire.
