Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Private RICHARD MURPHY, Service No. 3228, was recruited in South Australia and served in the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, 9th Light Horse Regiment in the Middle East during the Great War. The 3rd Light Horse Brigade was originally formed as the Adelaide Mounted Rifles.

Richard enlisted at Mitcham, SA on 18th December 1916 aged 17 years 5 months and was allocated to B Company. As a "Minor", his file read that he was "not to embark until 19 years of age", however he left Adelaide in February 1917. He had previously served for 18 months in the Sea Cadets in Western Australia before the family returned to South Australia. After initial training with the 26/9th Light Horse, they embarked at Adelaide on 22 February 1917 per R.M.S. "Morea", leaving Fremantle, Western Australia on 26 February 1917, and finally disembarking 16 March 1917 where Richard was admitted to Bombay Hospital, Alexandria, suffering appendicitis. RMS Morea was one of a number of Royal Mail Steamers that carried mail between Australia and the United Kingdom. Occasionally, they carried small numbers of passengers as well, including, on occasion, troops.

11 May 1917 Disembarked at Suez
21 May 3rd Light Horse Training Regiment at Moascar, Egypt.
30 May Taken on strength ex Details Op. at Moascar
1 June there were 81 officers, 1929 other ranks, 2236 horses, 17 mules.
3 June Church parade
30 Jun Detached to the Rest Hut at Kantara (85 barrels of beer arrived and were issued pro rata to units. Hostile plane came over an hour earlier than usual and it was not the same plane. Evidently yesterday's fight made him change his time).
7 Dec Returned from On Detachment to Soldiers' Club, Kantara
7 Dec Marched out to 3rd L.H.T.R. ex Soldier's Club, Kantara
6 Dec Transferred to the 9th Light Horse Regiment
19 Dec Marched in to 9th Light Horse and taken on strength ex 3rd Light Horse Training Regiment. Relay party of 9th L.H. Regt. (24 other ranks) rejoined unit from "Signals" G.H.Q.
14 Dec Situation quiet. Boisterous & rainy conditions made observation of enemy difficult. Rained heavily throughout day.
25 Dec "All clear". Situation quiet. Party of about 30 enemy observed at BELAIN - 1st Enemy movement observed towards BELAIN since Brigade in here. Rained heavily throughout day.
26 Dec 9th & 10th L.H. moved to occupy line along both ridges of the WADI SAD (MALAKEH).
29 Dec 9th & 10th L.H. moved forward to occupy main defensive line KHURBETHA IBN HARITH-JURDEH. Occasional sniping otherwise no enemy action. Small enemy posts at ?? now settled.
2 Jan 1918 Attached. 9th L.H. Regiment
2 Jan Returned to 3 Battalion Headquarters ex 3rd L.H. Bde. ex unit where the 3rd L.H.Bde was concentrated in the neighbourhood of KEFR RUT. They then moved to LATRON and on to KATRAH via KH. EL MUKHEIZIN.
The Brigade left Katra on 5th January for DEIR EL BELAH. Their itinerary was 5th Jan ESDUD, 6th Jan MEJDEL, 7th Jan GAZA, 8th Jan BELAH. On 1 Jan 1918 the 9th L.H. Regiment had 23 officers, 414 other ranks, 480 horses, 20 mules and 20 donkeys; on 31 Jan it's stength was 24 officers, 459 other troops, 472 horses, 20 mule and 20 donkeys.
From 21 Jan-2 Feb 1918 the 3rd Brigade undertook training which covered musketry (loading positions, signalling, range finding, rules of aiming, anti-gas training), "smartening up drill" which included bayonet fighting, rifle exercises, saluting etc.
8 Apr Marched in from Headquarters 3rd L.H. Brigade
8 Apr Returned to 9th L.H. Regt St. 3rd L.H. Brigade. The 9th took part in a battle at Es Salt in May which left 1 officer and 4 other troops killed. 3 officers and 15 other troops were wounded. On 2 June enemy planes dropped 50 bombs on the troop stationed on the west bank of Jordan in the neighbourhood of A-UJA crossing killing 2 and wounding 11 of the 9th LHR. 45 horses and 2 donkeys were killed, 57 horses wounded.
The 9th moved from SOLOMON'S POOLS to TALAAT ED DUMM on 10 July and became the Desert Mounted Corps Reserve. On 14 July they were ordered to move to the JORDAN VALLEY.
Readings of maximum shade temperatures for July 1918 taken inside a circular double-lined tent with the thermometer sheltered from the wind at EL MADHBEH , ranged from 102.5 deg. to 122 F. degrees.
6 Aug The standing patrol of 9th Light Horse Regiment encountered enemy party. Shots were exchanged and enemy threw 10 bombs, killing one of the 9th. The enemy withdrew on being fired upon by our patrol.
[Richard may have been a member of special patrols which would go out at night checking for the enemy as he contracted malaria]. The ground was often "marshy". The patrol on 9 & 10 August reported the country is very heavily bushed and that one Wadi had a wide bed with sloping banks and is swampy along the Northern side of the depression, which would not carry horses. At every halt it was noticed that the mosquitoes were extremely vicious especially on the swampy area.
12 Aug Richard was admitted to 31st British General Hospital at Abbassia with malaria and spent time at the convalescent depot before returning to duty on 29 August.
26-31 Aug Brigade resting at LUDD. Arrangements being made to commence cavalry training on 2/9/18. Swords are being issued to all ranks.
31 Aug Marched in from Convalescent Depot
7 Sep Rejoined unit 9th L.H.R. at Moascar
1-18 Sep During this period the Brigade has been undergoing course of intensive training. The outstanding feature of this work has been training with the sword and Cavalry drill and tactics. In the short period available very good progress has been made and all Squadrons are now capable of carrying out a formidable attack with the "Arms blanche". The Brigade is still considerably below strength - reinforcements arrived in the middle of the new training and had to pick up the first portion by means of special instruction as it appears the use of the sword is not taught at MOASCAR yet.
18-30 Sep 1918 The 9th Light Horse Regiment played a major part in the capture of Jerusalum and Damascus (the full text of battle available on AWM site makes very interesting reading.)
2 Oct. At 0725 the 9th L.H. Regiment reported that a column of the enemy about 1500 strong were in the vicinity of ADRA and were making for the foothills. The Regiment at once moved out in pursuit at the gallop followed in support by the remainder of the Brigade. A report was then received from the 8th L.H. Regiment patrol that the enemy column had got in behind it and it had been forced to make a wide detour to rejoin the Brigade. Two Squadrons headed off the enemy just as he was about to enter the foothills, despite his Machine Gun fire. This was at a point 7 miles from where the pursuit started. Swords were drawn and the Regiment swept irresistibly down on the enemy column. The enemy attempted to bring two 77mm. guns into action but our troops were too quick for him and the whole party surrendered within an hour of being first observed. 1494 prisoners were taken here, of whom 360 were mounted, including a Divisional Commander, together with two 77mm. guns, 1 mountain gun, 26 machine guns and a considerable amount of material.
9 Oct One fatal case of Cholera occurred in the 9th L.H. Regiment on 9th and another on 11th.
13 Oct 2 men per Regiment detailed to assist 3rd L.H. Field Ambulance owing to great number of sick.
15 Oct Sick rate of Brigade very high, over 100 patients in 3rd L.H. Field Ambulance approximately 20 to 30 sick in lines of each Regiment, prevailing diseases influenza, malaria, diarrhea and dysentery. Every effort being made to requisition medical comforts from local resources also application has been made to higher authority for essentials such as Brandy, Eggs, Milk, Arrowroot, Etc.
Although our forces have been in possession of DAMASCUS since 1st October, to date practically no medical comforts received; unless the situation alters and some drastic measures are taken there will be a high mortality rate.
Extra blankets and bivouac sheets are very urgently required Australian Mounted Division advise; steps being taken to bring the latter to the troops. Nights are very cold at present and men and horses must have more covering.
17 Oct To 31 General Hospital sick with malaria, then to Convalescent Depot until 11 November.
16 Nov Rejoined 3 Infantry Regiment who were in the vicinity of MEJDELAYA - via boat from KANTARA
12 Dec Brigade moved to new bivouac area situated on beach 1 1/2 miles S.W. of TRIPOLI.
17 Dec General Holiday today being Thanksgiving Day. Football match played in afternoon 9th & 10th L.H. Regts versus remainder of Brigade.
29 Feb 1919 To Fishing Party FAYED.
4 Mar Rejoined 9th L.H.R. from Sick. Beginning March 1st, the Division returned by boat to Port Said, then by train to MOASCAR where they waited for final return to Australia. Patrols were still required, and minor local skirmishes put down. Sporting and educational programs were held during this time.
8 Mar Joined 9 Regiment at ZAGAZIG.
9 Mar All unit commanders should immediately impress upon all ranks, that use of Turkish flags must not be understood as provocation. Turkish flag was only flag used in Egypt till protectorate declared. It is, therefore, only flag possessed and most demonstrated, and naturally produced as sign of rejoicing.
4 Jun To 26th Stat Hospital with malaria where he was transferred to the 14th Australian General Hospital at Abbassia on 6 June 1919.
2 Jul Rejoined 9th L.H.R. from sick
He embarked per "Oxfordshire" at Kantara on 10 July 1919, arriving Australia 10 August 1919, and was discharged o 16 October 1919. He received the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal No. 19934 and Victory Medal 19543.

The 9th Light Horse Regiment was raised at Adelaide. About two thirds of the recruits were from South Australia, the remainder from Victoria. After action in Gallipoli the 9th was deployed to Egypt to protect the Canal before moving into Palestine and the capture of Jerusalem and Damascus. The regiment was used in the suppression of the rebellion in Egypt, which broke out early in 1919. The war cost the regiment over 100 per cent casualties, 190 killed and 481 wounded.

The 9th has the unique distinction of capturing a battle standard of a Turkish Regiment and was the only unit to capture such a standard during World War One. This trophy is in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
(Graham Jaunay South Australian World War One Light Horse Regiments, in The South Australian Genealogist, Vol. 41 No. 3, August 2014).


http://regimental-books.com.au/shop/palestine-australia%C3%82%E2%80%99s-palestine-campaign-191618-p-2081 Book "Australia's Palestine Campaigh, 1916-18 available for $19.91


Richard was living at 21 Wakefield Street, Kent Town in 1919 (SA Directory).

MURPHY, RICHARD, Australian Army #W29083, 3 Jul 1898, Port Pirie, SA. Enlisted 21 Sep 1940, Claremont, WA. Living North Perth, WA. Next of Kin: MURPHY, VIOLET (wife). Discharged 17 Oct 1940, Private, RE-IN T D ASCOT. During WWII, he served as a Sergeant Cook in Darwin but returned to Western Australia where his wife was seriously ill after his daughter, KATH, pleaded with the authorities that he was needed at home.

MURPHY, RICHARD, Australian Army #WX31918 (W29004), DOB 3 Jul 1899, Port Pirie, SA. Enlisted 11 Jul 1942, Narrogin, WA. Living Mount Hawthorn, WA. Next of Kin: MURPHY, VIOLET, Discharged 15 Feb 1944, Sergeant, AUSTRALIAN ARMY CATERING CORPS