Murphy, Joseph
Private
No. 20055, 8th Battalion, Royal Dublin Fusiliers
Killed in action on Saturday 9 September 1916
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Thiepval Memorial, France (Pier and Face 16 C)
BIOGRAPHY
In the Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914 – 1919 database it is recorded that Joseph Murphy (No. 20055) was born in Newtownards and enlisted in Dundalk.
Private Joseph Murphy (No. 20055) served with the 8th Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers in 48th Brigade of the 16th (Irish) Division and he was killed in action at Ginchy on 9 September 1916.
Private Joseph Murphy (No. 20055) has no known grave and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
There are no next-of-kin details recorded in the CWGC Debt of Honour database nor in the Army Register of Soldiers’ Effects. His age is not recorded.
There is inconsistency in Army records concerning his battalion number and his service number:
- CWGC has 9th Battalion, most other records have 8th Battalion
- CWGC and most other records have 20055, some records have 20085
His medals were returned on 22 February 1923, and his record is annotated ‘next-of-kin not traced’.
This makes it difficult to be certain about his family details.
A Joseph Murphy was born on 10 April 1888 at Conway Square, Newtownards, and he was a son of Joseph and Margaret (Maggie) Orr who were married on 19 April 1886 in Ballygilbert Presbyterian Church. Joseph Murphy (aged 18), a cattle dealer from Newtownards was a son of Joseph Murphy, a cattle dealer. Maggie Orr from Newtownards was a daughter of Henry Orr, a farmer. Later Joseph Murphy worked as a butcher. Joseph and Maggie Murphy (nee Orr) had eight children:
James (registered Joseph, baptised James, born 2 February 1887 at Greenwell Street, Newtownards)
Unnamed male child (baptised Joseph, born 10 April 1888 at Conway Square, Newtownards; worked as a cattle dealer)
Mary Eleanor (born 8 April 1890; died of influenza 17 December 1891 at Conway Square, Newtownards)
Jane (born 24 June 1891 at Conway Square, Newtownards; died of pertussis 30 December 1891)
Mary Eleanor (born 2 August 1892; died of debility 24 August 1892 at Conway Square, Newtownards)
Samuel Paisley (born 19 September 1893 at Conway Square, Newtownards; worked as a brass finisher)
Herbert Henry (born 29 October 1895 at Conway Square, Newtownards)
John (born 4 August 1897; died 23 November 1897 at Conway Square, Newtownards)
Their father, Joseph Murphy, died of heart disease at Conway Square, Newtownards on 19 April 1907 (aged 38). His son Joseph was with him when he died.
Research is ongoing to confirm the family details for Private Joseph Murphy (No. 20055).