Educated at Peter Symonds School[10] and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst,[11] Horatius Murray joined the British Army and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) in 1923.

[19] Murray served in the Second World War, being appointed commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders in 1941.

[20] Murray was seriously wounded in the early stages of the battle and only returned to active service again in April 1943.

By 8 May the division was crossing the Austrian frontier becoming the first element of the British Eighth Army, under Lieutenant General Richard McCreery, to enter German territory.

[1] Murray was mentioned in despatches for his services in Italy, and appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1945.

[29] In 1955, he was appointed GOC-in-Chief of Scottish Command in the temporary rank of lieutenant general[30] and Governor of Edinburgh Castle.