MURRAYFIELD AT WAR The hallway of the clubhouse contains Murrayfield's Roll of Honour, a simple memorial to those members who gave their lives in the two world wars. It was first put up in the 1920s but there had in fact been a close connection between the armed services and the club from its inception. As early as 25th May 1897, the committee discussed the propriety of giving membership to naval and military officers temporarily stationed in Edinburgh, without the need for entry money. It was decided that a special rule should be adopted allowing temporary membership on payment of the annual fee, as long as the officer seeking election was proposed by two members. Whether the rapidity with which this measure was agreed had anything to do with the fact that Colonel Noble, one of the original trustees and the club's first Vice-President, had been a colonel in the Indian Army is not clear, but it was a facility that was to be much used and much appreciated by those in His/Her Majesty's service. Members of the club saw action in the Boer War and their service was recognised by the committee's decision in 1901 to grant to those on active service in South Africa suspension of their subscription until their return. The numbers involved were small, only six members being listed. With the outbreak of the First World War the problem became a greater one. Murrayfield members responded, as did most of their generation, to Kitchener's call. By early 1915 forty were recorded as on active service. The committee felt it could not decide to suspend their subscriptions on its own, presumably because of the financial implication and took the problem to the 1915 AGM. The Directors put before the members the question of recognising those members on active service in some way in appreciation of what they had done. Various suggestions were put forward and it was ultimately agreed, interestingly enough at the suggestion of the Treasurer, that all those on active service abroad be placed on the supernumerary list and all those based in Britain become country members. The club itself did its bit, apart from encouraging its members to go and fight. The club had been approached for permission to allow training to be carried out on the course. They agreed and also allowed the course to be used for map reading and judging distances. In return they received the grateful thanks of Scottish Command who wrote commending the club, " for the patriotic spirit in which they had met the Military Authorities in their request for the use of part of the course for defence purposes"
By the time the club received this commendation they had sadly learned of the death of one of their most talented golfers, Madge Neill Fraser. It is unusual for a Roll of Honour to contain a female name. Madge Neill Fraser had joined Dr Elsie Inglis, then a leading Suffragist who had formed an allfemale medical unit which became The Scottish Women's Hospital, and saw active service in Serbia. Leah Leneman's work "In the Service of Life" (Edinburgh, 1994) describes Dr Inglis' work and contains several references to Madge Neill Fraser. When she joined the Scottish Women's Hospital as an orderly it had caused great publicity because at the time she was captain of the Scottish Ladies' Golf team and was described as "perhaps the most popular woman's golfer in Great Britain". Leneman describes an account of her funeral in February 1915 as a terribly sad affair with the funeral party having to struggle through thick snow and mud. The whole affair was made all the sadder in the opinion of an eyewitness who felt that Madge should never have been there. However she did have training in first aid and sick nursing and given her determination shown on many occasions on the golf course and well known to the Murrayfield members, it is not surprising that she had not let inexperience deter her from service. The Great War also cost Murrayfield one of its leading male golfers. Listed among the 73,000 names which are etched into the pillars of the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme battles is one, J. L. Lawson, who had so impressed on the evening of the Vardon and Braid match in 1904, by outplaying the great pair and setting a course record. Such was the affection in which he was held by the club that the following tribute was minuted. "For many years Lieutenant Lawson had been a member of the club and at its registration he was appointed one of its directors and throughout his connection with it he was always closely identified with and keenly interested in its affairs. While lie was recognised as the most prominent playing member of the club his fame as a golfer was not merely local but was widely known and he had on numerous occasions taken part in the Amateur Championship Competition. He always maintained the best traditions of the game and no small part of the success which has attended the club was due to his influence which was always directed towards its wellbeing." It is perhaps fitting that such a dominant figure in the early history of the club should be listed on the Thiepval Memorial which is the largest single memorial in France and so dominates the surrounding countryside. Countless families grieved during the First World War as so many heard of the death of loved ones. Grief went beyond the normal circle of family for Madge Neill Fraser and "Jack" Lawson because of their fame. One can only imagine the grief of the Latta family whose name appears three times on the Roll of Honour. The three sons
followed each other into war and died on different fronts, one in France, commemorated in Arras, one in Belgium, listed on the Menin Gate in Ypres and one in Gallipoli on the Helles Memorial. During the war, in 1915, the club decided to prepare a Roll of Honour of those members engaged on Naval or Military duty. To make it an interesting record, members were requested to send the club a photograph of themselves, preferably in uniform, and give relevant particulars of their Regimental service. Some of their replies were recently discovered in the club's archives - better known as the old shed beside the putting green. They are a poignant reminder of a lost generation of men self-consciously posing in dress uniform for photographs that proudly sat in local drawing rooms. Photos were submitted with covering letters and one such reveals a fateful moment for a future club captain. Dear Sir, My son Frederick Wm Paulin, 2nd Lt in the 9th Royal Scots joined that battalion early in August, and after six months training in this country was sent to the front. He has now been two months in Flanders doing trench work. He had one narrow escape. The bullet of a sniper swished between his legs when he was examining a drain pipe in the trench with his electric lamp! So far no one in his platoon has been killed or wounded. He writes home cheerily. I enclose a photo in uniform as asked in your circular of 15th inst. Yours truly David Paulin. Freddie Paulin survived to become Captain of the club in 1929-31. Another letter came from France itself, from 2nd Lt W. M. Wallace who was attached to the Royal Flying Corps. He included a photo of himself suitably clad in sheepskin body warmer and closed his letter hoping that the Secretary had a good response to the request for information. He optimistically ends with the following, '... but I must say I hope slightly more fervently that I may get another opportunity of beating my best score on Murrayfield course..." From the Club s Minute Books 14 September 1914 A member requested that his entry money be donated to the Belgian Relief Fund. A member requested that his entry be refunded as he was about to be sent out of the country. The October competition was cancelled. 29 January 1915 Discussion of suspension of subscriptions for those on active service postponed until next meeting.
17 February 1915 Several members on active service had paid subscriptions. Discussion about reducing payments deferred to Annual Meeting. 40 on active service of whom 30 had already paid. AGM February 1915 Reported that 50 members on military or naval service. Appreciation to be shown by the reduction of subscriptions anyone abroad by 31 march to be moved to Supernumerary List and those in the country on Country Members List. 6 July 1915 Mrs Marshall. Treasurer of Madge Neill Fraser Memorial Fund acknowledged receipt of subscriptions from club of 176.5.6d. 21 October 1915 Request for A Company of Edinburgh Volunteer Corps to drill over the course on Saturday afternoons at 2.45pm for about an hour and a half, then tea in the clubhouse, then a military lecture. Referred to General Meeting on 6 November. 6 November 1915 EGM called to discuss request to drill on course and room for lectures. Agreed to request keeping in mind safeguarding the comfort and convenience of Club members in their use of the course. Tribute to Captain A. J. A. Menzies, RAMC, on his DSO for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the field. (Captain Menzies was attached to the 1st Royal Dragoons. During 55 hours, he continually exposed himself to heavy rifle fire while carrying out his duties with the wounded. He was the son of Alexander Menzies of Lankat Estate, Sumatra, and of Mrs Stephens, 30 Murrayfield Road, Edinburgh, and was a graduate in Arts and medicine of Edinburgh University. Then Lieutenant Colonel, he died on 9 August 1918) 4 February 1916 Reference to situation, precedented last year, that members on active service should have annual subscriptions remitted if on active service abroad, halved if on active service in the UK. Similarly for Ladies whose whole time was engaged on war service. 17 March 1916 Reference to Captain A. J. A. Menzies, RAMC, letter of thanks for congratulations for his award of DSO. No 1 Company Edinburgh Volunteer Corps to use the course on Tuesday evenings and a room for lectures. The Volunteers to forego the use of the Club on Saturdays. 19 April 1916 12 ladies on Service List.
8 June 1916 Request from Commandant of the Scottish School of Instruction for Volunteer Companies to use the course twice a month for map reading and judging distance. They would be away from the course by noon. 2 November 1916 Further request for Saturday use of the Club and rooms. Reference to lighting restrictions. Extra costs to be paid by the military. 28 December 1916 Letter from Misses Blair and agreement they should be added to War Service List one working in London, the other poultry farming in East Calder to be on half subscriptions and on Country List. 19 July 1916 Discussion of a letter about members of HM Forces being admitted to the Club. Suggested practice among clubs was to allow officers temporary membership despite this being outwith articles. Agreed to refuse admission. AGM March 1917 References to the many members honoured for distinguished service. 26 July 1917 Enquiry from District Agricultural Committee whether any ground could be put under the plough rejected: Ground is broken and undulating Already let for grazing at significant rent, so being used for best purpose Low level parts tend to flood Not in National or Club s interest Too long away from plough a century under pasture 2 March 1918 90 men on active service. 20 ladies in war work 9 abroad. Officers of Army and Navy using the course at 1/- per day. Source: Extract from Murrayfield Golf Club. A picturesque Edinburgh Golf Links by Martin A Bryden with his kind permission and thanks also to him for the extracts from the Club s minutes.