Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Arthur Henry and Mary Ellen Murphy, of Wellington, New South Wales.

KILLED IN ACTION
PRIVATE "MICK"
MURPHY
Once more the horrors of the great war have been brought home to us by the sad news that another young native of this town in the person of Private John Arthur Murphy, eldest, son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Murphy, of Simpson Street, had been killed in action in the fighting in New Guinea.
The news was received late yesterday afternoon hy the parents that their son had paid the supreme sacrifice on the 27th December, just one day after he had celebrated his 20th birthday. The sad  news was received with genuine regret throughout the town and district. "Mick," as he was familiarly known to his legion of friends in this town, received his call up some little time ago, and after being in camp, he transferred to the A.I.F. It seems but yesterday that he was among us on his final leave, and his mother received a lecter from him dated the 8th December, which stated that he had  arrived in New Guinea. From that it would appear that he was not long in getting into the firing line, for it was only a few weeks afterwards that he was killed. His parents had sent him a telegram  congratulating him on his 20th birthday, which was on the 26th December.

New Guinea is certainly proving a death trap for many of our young men, as so many of the cream of our Australian manhood have either been killed or maimed for life in the jungle fighting on this is land, after going through hardships which are almost unbelievable.

The late Private Murphy was a native of this town, and after receiving his early education at the Wellington Convent School, was a student of St. Stanislaus' College for several years. While at College  he showed great ability, not only in his studies, but on the field of sport, and in the college and other sports held in Bathurst he created a number of records over all distances on the running track, as  well as being prominent on the football field. When he left college he continued his interest in sport, and played under the union football code in this town. He was also a prominent member of the  Wellington Amateur Swimming Club, and when the position of hon. secretary of this club became vacant on account of so many members joining up "Mick" stepped into the breach, and carried on the  work for several seas ons. He also represented the club in several teams races. He received an appointment in the branch of the Wellington Union Bank, and afterwards he was transferred to the  Coonabarabran  branch, from which town he enlisted. He was also a member of the Wellington Apex Club, in which he took considerable interest. Thus has another young and promising life been cut off in the bloom of youth to satisfy the lust of war mongers seeking power, causing sorrow and trouble to so many families in this country. It is a great blow to the parents and relatives of such a promising young man, and the sympathy of all will go out to them in their irreparable loss. It is a wound that only time will heal. "Mick" proved himself just as good a soldier as he was a man on the field of sport, his one idea being out to win. Fate has decreed that he should not come back, but his memory will always remain dear to all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance.