Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Private James Thomas Murphy 1744A, 32nd Battalion enlisted in May 1915, at the age of 18, having worked as a shunter after attending the South Australian Marist Brothers School. He was very honest on his attestation form, stating that he had been convicted for stealing, and fined for the offence. He embarked to Egypt in June 1915 and served at Gallipoli with the 27th Battalion from September 1915 until the evacuation. He transferred to the 32nd Battalion in Egypt, and eventually he and his father were in the same Company.

J.T Murphy was killed in action at Fromelles, but no one ever knew what happened to him and he was posted as missing until a Court of Enquiry, held in the field on the 12 of August 1917, pronounced his fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'.

A statement, in the Red Cross Files, made by Private George James Kidd 3271, of the 32nd Battalion (a patient in hospital, at Harefield, England), on 13 October 1916 regarding the younger Murphy, reads: “At Pozieres he was blown to bits by a shell. He came from Port Adelaide and was a friend of myself and the family and for this reason my son – John Wark Kidd 32nd Bn. wrote and told me.”

Lt. Samuel Ernest Mills O.C. D Company, 32nd Battalion stated regarding the missing son “I cannot tell you anything of what happened to him eventually. Both he and his father were in my platoon when we went over on the 19th of July. The father, J.P. Murphy was shot almost immediately after leaving our parapet. I helped young Murphy lift his father into a shell hole and seeing he was dead, the boy just said “Goodbye, Dad” and came on. After that I did not see him again but was told that he was killed coming back. I cannot say if this was correct or not. Both father and son proved themselves good soldiers and game to the last. “Dad” as the rest of the boys used to call him, was a great favourite and although an elderly man, was always in at the finish. Please convey my sincere sympathy to Mrs. Murphy in her loss of a brave husband and a brave son (if he is indeed dead as I fear). She can at least be proud of them.”

Another account by John Preston Dempsey 2017 32nd Battalion said “I knew 2 Murphy’s in the 32nd. They were father and son, and I saw the father fall, shot I think through the heart, and I saw the son go over and speak to him, but got no reply and he went on. I lay there for some time, and this Murphy did not move. He was about 5 foot 10, fair, oldish, and came, I think, from Port Adelaide.” 

Corporal Henry John Stone 301 32nd Battalion, regarding 1744 J.T.Murphy said; “His son who came to us from the 10th Battalion saw him killed. Lt. Mills also saw him killed and said to his son how well he had stood it.

Lt. Mills would give further information. “This was at Fleurbaix on the 19th-20th July. Murphy’s son was I think, wounded, and I am not sure where he is.”

Also regarding the father he added “Murphy was killed 19th July. He was seen dead by his son, who put him in a shell hole. This was witnessed by Lt. Mills of the same battalion who said “What a brave lad he was”. The action was at Fleurbaix.”

Dorothy Murphy was not James Thomas Murphy's mother, she being James Parsons Murphy’s (his dad) second wife, and they had only married in November of 1915. She did not long survive her husband, being deceased well before 1920. J.T Murphys mother, Mary nee McDonough had died in April 1914, only 12 months before he enlisted.

James Thomas Murphy and his dad, James Parsons Murphy are commemorated on the VC Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles in France.