Wallet 2 of 2 - Diary, vol. II of Sir Oswald Ellis Joseph Murphy, 1941-1942

Murphy, Oswald Ellis Joseph (Major, b.1895 - d.1980)

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Places	Africa: Egypt, Alexandria Africa: Egypt, Cairo Africa: Egypt, Cairo, Heliopolis Africa: Egypt, El Amiriya Africa: Egypt, Frontier, Sinai Africa: Egypt, Frontier, Sinai, El Arish Area, El Arish Africa: Egypt, Suez Canal Africa: Egypt, Suez Canal, Ismailia Africa: Egypt, Suez Canal, Kantara Africa: Egypt, Suez Canal, Port Said Africa: Egypt, Suez Canal, Suez Africa: Egypt, Suez Canal, Suez, Port Tewfik Africa: Eritrea Africa: Eritrea, Asmara Africa: Eritrea, Gura Africa: Eritrea, Keren Africa: Eritrea, Massawa Africa: Ethiopia Africa: Ethiopia, Addis Ababa Africa: Kenya Africa: Madagascar Africa: North Africa, Libya, Cyrenaica, Barce Africa: North Africa, Libya, Cyrenaica, Bardia Area, Bardia Africa: North Africa, Libya, Cyrenaica, Bardia Area, Capuzzo Africa: North Africa, Libya, Cyrenaica, Benghazi Africa: North Africa, Libya, Cyrenaica, Cyrene Africa: North Africa, Libya, Cyrenaica, Derna Africa: North Africa, Libya, Cyrenaica, Tobruk Area, Tobruk Africa: North Africa, Western Desert, Western Desert (Egypt), Mersa Matruh Africa: Somaliland Africa: Sudan Africa: Tunisia Approximate locations: At sea Asia: Ceylon Asia: Ceylon, Colombo Asia: Ceylon, Kandy Asia: Hong Kong Asia: Malaya Asia: Myanmar, Yangon, Rangoon Asia: Netherlands East Indies, Java Asia: Philippines Asia: Singapore Asia: Timor Europe: France, Brittany, Finistere, Brest Europe: Greece, Aegean Islands, Sporades, Rhodes Island, Rhodes Mediterranean: Malta Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Haifa Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Jericho Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Barbara Camp Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Beit Jirja Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Bethlehem Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Deir Sineid Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Gaza Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Gaza, Gaza Ridge Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Jaffa Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Jerusalem Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Lake Tiberias Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Nazareth Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Samaria Middle East: British Mandate of Palestine, Palestine, Tiberias Middle East: French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, Damascus Middle East: French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, Lebanon, Beirut Tripoli Area, Tripoli Middle East: French Mandate for Syria and Lebanon, Syria Middle East: Ottoman Empire, Palestine, North Palestine, Tel Aviv Middle East: Yemen, Aden Oceania: Australia, New South Wales, Sydney Oceania: Australia, Northern Territory, Darwin Oceania: Australia, Queensland, Toowoomba Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Armadale Oceania: Australia, Victoria, Geelong Oceania: Australia, Western Australia, Fremantle Oceania: Australia, Western Australia, Perth Oceania: Australia, Western Australia, Rottnest Island Oceania: New Guinea Oceania: New Guinea1, Papua New Guinea, East New Britain, Rabaul Oceania: Paci
Accession Number	AWM2020.22.237
Collection number	PR05571
Collection type	Digitised Collection
Record type	Wallet
Item count	1
Object type	Diary
Physical description	177 Image/s captured
Maker	Murphy, Oswald Ellis Joseph
Place made	Australia, British Mandate of Palestine, Egypt, North Africa
Date made	1941-1942
Conflict	Second World War, 1939-1945
Copying Provisions	Digital format and content protected by copyright.

Description

Collection relating to the Second World War service of QX6269 Major Sir Oswald Ellis Joseph Murphy, 2/2 Casualty Clearing Station, Australia, Egypt, Palestine, Eritrea, Abyssinia, Libya, and Ceylon, 1940-1942.

Wallet 2 of 2 - Consists of one yellow-covered bound volume with 'Diary of Sir Ellis Murphy / Volume 2' on the cover. This volume of the diary spans the period 13 August 1941 to 30 July 1942. This volume begins with Murphy based near Tel Aviv as part of the 2/5 Australian General Hospital. While there, he visits many places of interest to tourists, including those of religious interest. In late August, Murphy is transferred to Eritrea, where he spends the next three months. During this time, there is little work for medical staff and much of the diary discusses leisure time, including: one notable trip to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) for a private viewing of the Ethiopian crown jewels; several games of cricket; investigating a nearby crashed Bristol Blenheim; and observing the local population and animals, offering his opinions. For Christmas 1941, Murphy is transferred to the 2/4 Australian General Hospital in Jerusalem, where he discusses encountering an unusually large amount of snow. After several months of moving around various Australian hospitals in Palestine, Egypt, and Libya, he is transferred in March 1942 to the 2/4 Australian General Hospital in Colombo via Suez and Aden on the RMS Orontes. Throughout this time a further recurring subject is the increasing tension between Japan and the Allies, and his concern for Australia. While in Ceylon most of Murphy’s patients suffer from malaria and other mosquito-borne ailments, which receive frequent mentions. The remainder of the entries while in Ceylon are spent discussing the politics of promotion, general hospital work, news that he is receiving about the war in other areas, and time spent on leave exploring the countryside and often playing tennis. The last few pages of the volume contain a description of Murphy’s return to Australia, time spent on leave in Perth including seeing several of his friends, and ends with his ship departing Perth for the eastern states.