History Talks

The Marple Historical Society provides a series of public history talks during the year at the Marple Christian Church located at 475 Lawrence Road (next door to the Thomas Massey House) in Broomall.

Pvt. Clifford Douglas Murray: A Marple-Newtown D-Day Hero Wednesday, November 20th, 7:00 p.m.

This past June 6th was the 80th anniversary of D Day, one of those days that changed history. Historian Doug Humes went looking for the local connections as a result of an inquiry from a community member: “Are any of our local boys at the cemetery at Omaha Beach?”

The answer sadly is “yes”. Private Clifford Douglas Murray, living on Media Line Road, had attended Marple Newtown High School, and was working with his father at a local greenhouse, when Pearl Harbor changed his world. He enlisted and fought with the 1st Infantry Division in North Africa and Sicily. On D-Day, the Allied invasion of Occupied France, the 1st Division was the spearhead for the landing at Omaha Beach. Private Murray was in one of those first landing craft on June 6, 1944 and luckily survived that terrible day. The research led to the records of his company that day and then as day by day they moved inland. The research also led to a long-neglected box in a local home that held the letters, and photos, and the flag that provided the rest of Private Murray’s story, which was shared in the local Friends & Neighbors magazines in June. The story is so compelling that we want to tell it again in a special joint event put on by the Marple Historical Society and the Newtown Square Historical Society.

Light refreshments will be served after the talk.

Admission to the talk is free, but donations are greatly appreciated and help us to continue to preserve our township’s history.

When: 7:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 20, 2024
Where: Marple Christian Church, 475 Lawrence Road, Broomall, PA 19008