William Murdock was the eldest son of Richard and Bess Murdock. He was born on 11th February 1873 in Unagh, Lissan, Cookstown. He was one of eight children. His father was a gamekeeper. His mother was servant and cook. At the outbreak of the First World War William had already served twenty-one years in the British Army. He first saw action in South Africa at the time of the Jameson raid. In July 1914 he retired on a pension and went to live in Edinburgh. When war was declared he was called up. Company Sergeant Major William Murdock was serving with the 9th Battalion of the Black Watch (Royal Highlanders) when he was killed in action in Loos on Saturday 25th September 1915.
Loos-en-Gohelle is a village 5 kilometres north-west of Lens, and Dud Corner Cemetery is located about 1 kilometre west of the village, to the north-east of the N943, the main Lens to Bethune road.
