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Badges and lantern: "Heroic Service" memorabilia

Our family "patriarch", Lt/Col Matthew Murray served as a young cadet in the King's Own Scottish Borderers, then went to India enlisting in the Indian Army in Bombay in 1771. He served as a Commandant and Captain Commandant in charge of Sepoy infantry, being promoted to rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1796. After the death of his Indian wife in 1798, he returned with his 3 children to his native Scotland. His King's Own Scottish Borderers badge has been prized memorabilia in the family ever since, and it came to Australia with his son, James Murray in 1843. The second item is the badge of the Native Police that served in New South Wales. John Murray, son of James, joined as an officer in 1852 and served under Commandant Walker, mostly in the Wide Bay and Curtis District of New South Wales (Queensland from 1859). Robert Murray (or Boby Murray as he was known in the family) followed his older brothers, John and George, into service with the Queensland Native Police. His issued lantern is a valued family hierloom today. Robert (1840-1914) was the 6th of 7 sons of James and Wilhelmina Murray of "Warrawang" near Rydal, New South Wales.

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