Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

His only son, 1744A Private James Thomas Murphy, 32nd Battalion was killed in action during the same battle at Fomelles on 19 July 1916. He was only 19. 

3227 Private James Parsons Murphy, 32nd Bn, who was killed in action 19 July, 1916, is commemorated at VC Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, in France.

He was aged 45 years and 3 months when he enlisted on the 9 August 1915. He enlisted just after his 18 year old son had left Australia with the 27th Bn. “Dad” Murphy was originally from Guernsey, Channel Islands, off England, but may have had Irish roots as he was a Catholic. He had been in Australia since 1890.

He was a fireman, and gave his address as the Fire Brigade Station, Port Adelaide, South Australia. He was married to Dorothy Murphy, and stated on his attestation form that he had served for 6.5 years in the Royal Navy, had been convicted for desertion, and had completed 3 years in the Royal Australian Navy before he resigned. His height was given very precisely at 5' 7.75" and his weight a solid 166 pounds, or almost 12 stone.

He embarked from Adelaide, in January 1916, with the 27th Bn, but eventually was transferred to the 32nd Bn in Egypt.

His only son, 1744A Private James Thomas Murphy, 32nd Battalion enlisted in May 1915, at the age of 18, having worked as a shunter after attending the South Australia School Marist Brothers School. He was also 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 also transferred to the 32nd Battalion in Egypt, and eventually he and his father were in the same Company. He 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, 12 August 1917, pronounced his fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'. He too is commemorated on the VC Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France. 

A statement, in the Red Cross Files, made by 3271 Pte George James Kidd, of the 32nd Bn (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 to told (sic) me.” The Kidds were also a father and son in the 32nd Battalion, and both survived the war and returned to Australia. It was not unusual for men to confuse the casualties of Fromelles with Pozieres, as they occurred only a few days apart. 

Lt. Samuel Ernest Mills O.C. D Company 32nd Battalion stated in regards to 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 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 favorite 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.”

Mills was not a young man himself, having served for 2 years during the Boer War with the WA Mounted Infantry, and was 35 when he embarked as a C.S.M. with the original D Company of the 32nd Battalion. A lieutenant at Fromelles, in command of D Company, he was awarded the Military Cross, “for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in action. Though twice wounded early in the attack he continued firing at his post throughout the night, displaying great personal courage.”

Mills was promoted to Captain and was himself killed in action with the 32nd Battalion in October 1917, and his evidence in this case as a decorated officer, would certainly be very reliable. “Dad” as Lt. Mills refers to him, was in fact 47 years old when he was killed. 

2017 John Preston Dempsey 32nd Bn,

“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.” 

201 Cpl. Henry John Stone 32nd Battalion, Re- 1744 J.T.Murphy

“His son who came to us from the 10th Bn., 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 the son’s mother, she being the older Murphy’s second wife, and they had only married in November of 1915. She did not long survive her husband, being deceased well before 1920. The boy’s mother, Mary nee McDonough had died in April 1914, only 12 months before he enlisted.

Born 1870 - Died aged 46

"THE LATE PRIVATE J. P. MURPHY.

Private J. P. Murphy, who was killed in action in France on July 17, was a well-known and highly-esteemed member of the Port Adelaide branch of the Metropolitan Fire Brigade. He joined the service on November 21, 1898, and had been stationed at Port Adelaide up to the time he enlisted with the military forces on August 8, 1915. With others he received the King's medal in recognition of his bravery in extinguishing the fire on board the steamer South Africa, loaded with explosives, at the North Arm on August 21, 1910. The conflagration threatened to blow up the ship, as well as the Port, and Private Murphy was one of the first of the firemen on the scene. In this connection he also received medals from the Fire Brigade and from the citizens of Port Adelaide.

He was the recipient of a long service medal from the brigade. Private Murphy held the rank of foreman when he enlisted with the 7th Reinforcements of the 27th Battalion, to which his only son was also attached. Both were transferred to another battalion in France. Private Murphy, who was bom at Guernsey, Channel Islands, joined H.M.A.S. Protector soon after her arrival in South Australia from England, and served on board for some years. He has left a widow, the daughter of Mr. W. G. Maslin, of Portland Estate." - From the Adelaide Advestiser 24 Aug 1915 (nla.gov.au)  (nla.gov.au)