Life story: Francis George Murphy | Lives of the First World War

Timeline

1894

sibling Alfred Grange Murphy Source:8475010 1894

1895

sibling Eddie Murphy Source:8475010 1895

1897

birth Freeman's Bay, Auckland New Zealand Source:8458164 22nd April 1897

1898

sibling Jack Murphy Source:8475010 1898

1904

sibling Gladys Aileen Murphy Source:8475010 1904

1915

employment Seaman Murphy and Wilson Auckland New Zealand Source:8457702 16th January 1915

1915

enlistment Trentham, Wellington New Zealand Source:8457702 16th January 1915

1915

service New Zealand Expeditionary Force Private 12/2045 4th Reinforcements Auckland Infantry Battalion Source:8457702 16th January 1915 - 19th February 1917

1915

theatres Gallipoli :2b Source:8457702 8th June 1915 - 4th July 1915

1915

hospitalisation Suffered facial injuries and concussion from bomb explosion which left him unconscious in his trench for four hours Hospital/Institution Source:8457702 3rd July 1915

1915

hospitalisation Further treatment required to injuries received on 3 July at Gallipoli Hospital/Institution Source:8457702 16th July 1915

1915

hospitalisation Further treatment required to injuries received on 3 July at Gallipoli Hospital/Institution Source:8457702 11th September 1915

1916

theatres France & Belgium: 1a Source:8457702 15th September 1916 - 23rd September 1916

1916

hospitalisation Gunshot Wound/Shell Wound to head and right upper arm Hospital/Institution Source:8457702 17th September 1916

1916

hospitalisation Surgery to extract piece of helmet from head wound received on 17 September. Surgery performed without use of chloroform Hospital/Institution Source:8457702 19th September 1916

1916

marriage Elizabeth Catherine Lower Source:8458103 28th October 1916

1917

hospitalisation Suffered from dysentery whilst at Gallipoli Hospital/Institution Source:8458059 20th January 1917

1917

discharge Source:8475005 19th February 1917

1917

hospitalisation Defective Teeth Hospital/Institution Source:8457702 4th July 1917

1918

children Eddie Grange Murphy Source:8475010 1918

1918

service Royal Navy Deck Hand HMS Victory Mercantile Marine Reserve Source:8531437 23rd October 1918

1918

death War Related Sickness Frank died from the Spanish flu pandemic, following debilitation after serving and being wounded at both Gallipoli and the Somme. Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, Gosport, Hampshire United Kingdom Source:8457625 23rd October 1918

burial Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery CWGC Cemetery/Memorial Gosport, Hampshire United Kingdom E. 35. 14. Source:8458164

Details

Names

Type	Name
First Names	Francis George
Initials	FG
Last Name	Murphy
Source	8458164
First Names	Frank
Initials	F
Last Name	Murphy
Source	8458164

Gender

Gender	Source
Male

Contribution

Military Service

Service	Number	Unit	Section	Rank	Source
New Zealand Expeditionary Force	12/2045	4th Reinforcements	Auckland Infantry Battalion	Private
Royal Navy		HMS Victory	Mercantile Marine Reserve	Deck Hand

Awards

Award	Type	Source
1914/15 Star	First World War Campaign/Service Medal
British War Medal	First World War Campaign/Service Medal
Victory Medal	First World War Campaign/Service Medal

Family

Children

Name	Relationship	Dates	Source
Eddie Grange Murphy	son	1918

Parents

Name	Relationship	Dates	Source
Ada Grange	mother
Alfred Edward Murphy	father

Siblings

Name	Relationship	Dates
Alfred Grange Murphy	brother	1894
Eddie Murphy	brother	1895
Jack Murphy	brother	1898
Gladys Aileen Murphy	sister	1904

Spouse

Name	Relationship	Dates	Source
Elizabeth Catherine Lower	wife	28th October 1916

Physical

Complexion	Eyes	Hair	Source
Fair	Brown	Brown

Date	Height	Source
1915-01-16	5'8"

Religion

Date	Religion	Source
1915-01-16	Anglican - Church of Eng, Irl, Wales or other

Media

Letter from Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, Gosport

Letter informing Frank's wife Betty that he was admitted on the 19 October with influenza and that his condition was causing no immediate anxiety. Unfortunately, he died three days later.

Contributed by:
Janice2668
Frank and Betty Celebrating

Photograph shows Frank in the centre, with his wife Betty to his right. Surrounded by family they appear to be celebrating, and as it is October 1916 they may be celebrating their wedding

Contributed by:
Janice2668
Frank and Betty Wedding

Wedding Cake Box, sent from Frank and Betty to family and friends who could not attend their wedding

Contributed by:
Janice2668
"On Active Duty" card from Frank to Betty

Frank sent this card to future wife Betty in the summer of 1916 (it is dated 19/16 – unfortunately the month is missing) from France. He went into action on 15 September at Flers-Courcellette, the Somme. This was probably the "action" he was referring to on the card.

Contributed by:
Janice2668
Letter from Frank to his love, Betty

Frank writes a loving letter to Betty telling her that he is coming to England and asking her whether she has considered THE question (this must surely be his proposal). The tone of the letter suggests that he has already written to Betty telling her about his wounding

Contributed by:
Janice2668
Gravestone of Francis George Murphy

Photograph of the gravestone of Frank

Contributed by:
Janice2668
Frank's wife Betty with their son Eddie Grange

Photograph of Frank's wife and baby

Contributed by:
Janice2668
Betty and baby Eddie Grange

Photograph of Frank's wife Betty with their son Eddie Grange

Contributed by:
Janice2668
Certificate of Discharge

Photograph of Frank's Discharge Certificate from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force due to "being medically unfit for future service".

Contributed by:
Janice2668
Certificate of Character

Certificate of Character on discharge from the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Frank's character is described as "good".

Contributed by:
Janice2668
Roll of Honour tablet at Devonport Primary School

Frank and his brother Eddie attended this school in Auckland, New Zealand. In bottom right corner is Murphy E, and below him Murphy F G.

Contributed by:
Les55402
Francis George Murphy Birth Registration

Registration of Frank's birth Auckland, New Zealand

Contributed by:
Janice2668
Cessation of Pension

Letter regarding the cessation of Frank's war pension in May 1918

Contributed by:
Janice2668
Letter about Eddie Murphy's death

Page 1 of letter to Frank from one of his brother Eddie's friends/fellow servicemen informing him of Eddie's death.

Contributed by:
Janice2668
Letter about Eddie's death

Page 2 of letter from one of Eddie's friends/fellow servicemen informing his brother Frank of his death.

Contributed by:
Janice2668

Communities

Family of Janice Wilkinson

Family of Janice Wilkinson

More about Family of Janice Wilkinson

Evidence

IWM is not responsible for the content of external websites. Please note that some sources will require payment to view.

Official Records

Title	Connected by	More information
Online Cenotaph: New Zealand Expeditionary Force
Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) Casualty Records Transcription	Kristen1288

External Evidence

Reference	Connected by	More information
Royal Navy and Royal Marines War Graves Roll, 1914-1918	Janice2668
Original Service Papers of Frank Murphy, digitised on Archives New Zealand	Janice2668
Original Personnel Papers of Frank Murphy, digitised on Archives New Zealand	Janice2668
Marriage Index 1916	Janice2668
New Zealand War Graves Project	Janice2668
Janice Wilkinson Family Tree	Janice2668

Multimedia

Title	Connected by	More information
Letter from Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar, Gosport	Janice2668
Frank and Betty Celebrating	Janice2668
Frank and Betty Wedding	Janice2668
"On Active Duty" card from Frank to Betty	Janice2668
Letter from Frank to his love, Betty	Janice2668
Gravestone of Francis George Murphy	Janice2668
Frank's wife Betty with their son Eddie Grange	Janice2668
Betty and baby Eddie Grange	Janice2668
Certificate of Discharge	Janice2668
Certificate of Character	Janice2668
Roll of Honour tablet at Devonport Primary School	Les55402
Francis George Murphy Birth Registration	Janice2668
Cessation of Pension	Janice2668
Letter about Eddie Murphy's death	Janice2668
Letter about Eddie's death	Janice2668

Stories

No related stories were found.

{{story._source.summary_title}}

{{story._source.description[0].value | trim:50}}

{{story._source.date.from.iso | displayDate}} - {{story._source.date.to.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.date.from.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.date.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.certainty.date.from.iso | displayDate}} - {{story._source.certainty.date.to.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.certainty.date.from.iso | displayDate}}

{{story._source.certainty.date.iso | displayDate}}

More about {{story._source.summary_title}}

We remember Francis George Murphy

Also remembered by 4 people

Event Type	Event Icon
appointments
awards
birth
burial
children
commission
dates
death
discharge
education
employment
enlistment
events
hospitalisation
internment
location
marriage
missing
service
sibling
theatres

We remember Francis George Murphy

We remember Francis George Murphy

Also remembered by 4 people

Timeline

Timeline

1894

1895

1897

1898

1904

1915

1915

1915

1915

1915

1915

1915

1916

1916

1916

1916

1917

1917

1917

1918

1918

1918

Details

Details

Children

Parents

Siblings

Spouse

Media

Media

Communities

Communities

Family of Janice Wilkinson

Evidence

Evidence

Official Records

External Evidence

Multimedia

Stories

Stories

{{story._source.summary_title}}

We remember Francis George Murphy