The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (413007) Warrant Officer Jack Donald Murphy, No. 111 Squadron RAF, Second World War

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Troy Clayton, the story for this day was on (413007) Warrant Officer Jack Donald Murphy, No. 111 Squadron RAF, Second World War.

413007 Warrant Officer Jack Donald Murphy, No. 111 Squadron RAF
KIA 20 March 1944
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 1 April 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Warrant Officer Jack Donald Murphy.

Jack Donald Murphy was born in Hobart, Tasmania, on 25 April 1919 to James and Nora Murphy. The family relocated to Sydney and settled in Neutral Bay. Murphy attended both primary school and high school in the Neutral Bay area and, after attaining his intermediate certificate in 1935, worked as a salesman with City Hatters in Sydney.

In May 1940 he enlisted into the army. Following his initial training, he was posted as a signalman to 1st Division Signals. In early 1941 he applied to join the RAAF reserve and was accepted; he discharged from the army in August 1941 and enlisted for full-time service in the RAAF the following day.

Murphy's potential was recognised early and he was selected for pilot training in November. After successfully completing the course, he returned to Neutral Bay and married Ivy Allen Maxwell at St Augustine Church on 7 February 1942. After a brief honeymoon Murphy returned to flying training. He was promoted to sergeant and at the end of his training was found suitable as a fighter pilot.

Murphy embarked from Sydney in late August 1942. After arriving in England he was posted to RAF Station Bournemouth in November. Here he began flying Spitfire fighters and spent the next ten months in Operational Training Units and flying schools.

In October 1943 he was sent as a reinforcement pilot to North Africa. From here he was posted to Italy, joining No. 111 Squadron at Capodichino. He was promoted to Warrant Officer in late December.

When Allied forces landed at Anzio in January 1944, No. 111 Squadron flew numerous operations against German aircraft and ground targets. The landings were held up by the Germans, but the squadron continued to attack German aircraft and ground targets.

At 6.15 am on 20 May a flight of 12 Spitfire MK IXc fighters, one of which was piloted by Murphy, set off to patrol an area north of Rome. Approximately half an hour later the patrol crossed the Tiber River when two flights of six enemy fighters were spotted below. The order was given to attack and the spitfires engaged the enemy aircraft.

The ensuing dogfight was short and brutal, and as the enemy aircraft retreated the squadron's patrol began to reform. It was at this time that Murphy sent a radio
transmission saying that he had to bail out. His next transmission was a mayday, but nothing else followed.

Murphy's fellow pilots conducted an exhaustive search of the area, but no trace of the aircraft or Murphy was found.

He was officially listed as missing in action the
following day. It wasn't until 1946, after an official investigation, that he was listed as killed in action. Today he is commemorated on the Malta Memorial.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my left along with around 40,000 others from the Second World War. There is no photograph in the Memorial's collection to
display beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Warrant Officer Jack Donald Murphy, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in service of our nation.