MURPHY, Patrick Alphonsus Sansfield
(Service number 11899)
| First Rank | Private | Last Rank | Private |
|---|
Birth
| Date | 02/06/1888 | Place of Birth | Temuka, N.Z. |
|---|
Enlistment Information
| Date | 11 January 1916 | Age | 27 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Address at Enlistment | Sibena Station, Mangamahu | ||
| Occupation | Shepherd | ||
| Previous Military Experience | |||
| Marital Status | Single | ||
| Next of Kin | P.J. Murphy (father), Koekoe Road, Mataroa, New Zealand | ||
Military Service
| Served with | New Zealand Armed Forces | Served in | Army |
|---|
Embarkation Information
| Body on Embarkation | New Zealand Expeditionary Force | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Unit, Squadron, or Ship | 12th Reinforcements Wellington Infantry Battalion B Company | ||
| Date | 1 May 1916 | ||
| Transport | HMNZT 51, Ulimaroa | ||
| Embarked From | Wellington, New Zealand | Destination | Suez, Egypt |
| Other Units Served With | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Last Unit Served With | Wellington Infantry Regiment | ||
Military Awards
| Campaigns | Egyptian, Western European | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Service Medals | British War Medal, Victory Medal | ||
Award Circumstances and Date
No information
Prisoner of War Information
| Date of Capture | |
|---|---|
| Where Captured and by Whom | |
| Actions Prior to Capture | |
| PoW Serial Number | |
| PoW Camps | |
| Days Interned | |
| Liberation Date |
Death
| Date | 25 November 1918 | Age | 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Place of Death | Timaru, New Zealand | ||
| Cause | Died after discharge from the NZEF from wounds inflicted or disease contracted while on active service | ||
| Memorial or Cemetery | Temuka Cemetery, New Zealand | ||
| New Zealand Memorials | On Memorial wall, Timaru; Temuka War Memorial | ||
Biographical Notes
Patrick Alphonsus Murphy was born at Temuka on 2 June 1888, the second son of Patrick Joseph Murphy and his wife Margaret (nee McHenry).
At the time of his enlistment on 11 January 1916 Murphy was working as a shepherd on Sibena Station, Mangamahu in the Wanganui district. He was single, Roman Catholic, 5ft 7in, 122lbs, of medium complexion, with grey eyes, and brown hair. His next of kin was his father P.J. Murphy, by then living in Koekoe Road, Mataroa, Taihape. He joined 12th Reinforcements, Wellington Infantry Battalion, B Company and embarked on 26 July 1916, passing through Egypt before being send on to England. He left Sling Camp for France 20 August, joining the 2nd Battalion on the Somme on 8 September. Six days later he was wounded in action and he passed through various field stations and hospitals on his way back to England, then eventually classified unfit and sent home to New Zealand. He went into hospital in Rotorua. A medical board convened at Rotorua on 3 July 1917 reported Murphy had suffered a gunshot wound, leaving subsequent wasting of his left arm with no use of the left hand, progress was very slow, and there would be permanent disability. He was discharged to pension on 4 July 1917 no longer physically fit for war service on account of wounds received in action having served one year 196 days. But Patrick Murphy died that November His obituary in the Temuka Leader of 26 November 1918 says: Among the victims of the influenza epidemic is Patrick A Murphy, second son of Mr P.J Murphy and nephew of the late Misses Murphy of Milford. The late private Murphy went away with the 22nd reinforcements, found in Gallipoli and France and was badly wounded in the arm at Somme which led to him being invalided home. On reaching New Zealand he was treated in several hospitals without receiving much benefit but at Timaru success was achieved. However he had not time to recover his strength before he was seized with influenza and not having the strength to battle against it he succumbed to its effects yesterday morning. He was a fine young fellow and a great favourite with his friends.Son of Mr and Mrs PJ Murphy of Taihape Served in Egypt in 1916 and on the Western Front in 1916. Work War 1 CD 2. NZ BMDs 1918/14362, Patrick Alphonsus Murphy born to Margaret and Patrick James Murphy. Book "Temuka Through the Years" informal history compiled by Temuka History Book Cttee, page 394. Obituary Temuka Leader Tue 26 Nov 1918, Patrick A Murphy - Among the victims of the influenza epidemic is a Patrick A Murphy, second son of Mr P.J Murphy and nephew of the late Misses Murphy of Milford. The lae private Murphy went away with the 22nd reinforcements, fought in Gallipoli and France and was badly wounded in the arm at Somme which led to being invalided home. On reaching NZ he was treated in several hospitals without receiving much benefit but at Timaru success was achieved. However he had not time to recover his strength before he was seized with influenza and not having the strength to battle against it he succumbed to its effects yesterday morning. He was a fine young fellow and a great favourite with his friends.
Sources
Auckland War memorial Museum Cenotaph Database; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records [June 2021]
External Links
Related Documents
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Researched and Written by
Maree Bowen, SC branch NZSG; Carol Bell, SC branch NZSG
Currently Assigned to
Not assigned.
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License unless otherwise stated.
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