Legion of Honour, France, Badge of the 4th Class, awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel (later General Sir) William McMurdo

On 2 February 1855 William Montagu Scott McMurdo (1819-1894), with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, was appointed Director General, Land Transport Corps in the Crimea. His record in command was mixed, largely because of the indifferent personnel with which he had to work, and the state of the corps was criticised by his locum tenens, Colonel Edward Wetherall. Nevertheless, on his return home he was promoted to colonel and appointed aide-de-camp to Queen Victoria. He later served in India and Ireland, and retired as a general in 1881.