Personalities > George Murphy

George Francis Murphy

George Francis Murphy (1883-1962), soldier, teacher and administrator, was born in Pyrmont, and educated at Pyrmont, Darlinghurst and Goulburn public schools. He qualified as a teacher and attended the University of Sydney.

In 1910 he was appointed lieutenant in the NSW cadets and in 1913 joined the Australian Military Forces (AMF). In May 1915 he joined the AIF as a captain; next month he was promoted major and reached Gallipoli in August. He was transferred to the 18th Battalion and built a reputation as ‘an alert and aggressive commander, with thorough grip of detail’. During the evacuation he commanded rear parties.

Murphy embarked for France as second-in-command of the 18th Battalion and fought with distinction at Bois Grenier and Pozières Heights where he was severely wounded. In November he took command of the battalion as a Lt-colonel and led his battalion in all its major actions including Bullecourt, Menin Road and Broodseinde.

In April 1918 Murphy's battalion was sent south to help counter the German breakthrough near Amiens. Near Villers-Bretonneux he led an attack at Hangard Wood and next month at Morlancourt. Charles Bean described him as “a most competent commander and an able tactician”. At Ville-sur-Ancre, with the aid of his scout sergeant, he captured seven German machine-gunners, rushing their post across open country. For this action he received a Bar to his Distinguished Service Order (DSO). In 1918 he was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG). He led the 18th at Villers-Bretonneux before commanding the 7th Brigade. He was evacuated to England with illness and then commanded the 18th until February 1919. During 1917-18 he was mentioned in dispatches five times.

After the war he served part-time in the AMF.  During World War II he served as director of the Volunteer Defence Corps, then as provost marshal at Army Headquarters. From April 1943 he was director of the military prisons and detention barracks and from May 1943 was also director of the military prisons and detention barracks service. He retired as an honorary colonel in 1946.

Murphy was an outspoken member of the RSL, an active Freemason and a foundation member of Sydney Legacy. He died at Concord, and was cremated with Methodist forms.

Sources

• L.B. Swifte, ‘Murphy, George Francis (1883–1962)’ in Australian Dictionary of Biography

• C.E.W. Bean, The A.I.F. in France, 1916-18

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