medal for a man torpedoed on the Atlantic Convoy's

Discussion in 'The War at Sea' started by edward wilson, Oct 12, 2021.

  1. edward wilson

    edward wilson Member

    Hello All,

    I am new here and hoping to find out a little about this man William B Murphy who was torpedoed on an Atlantic run and received a medal for saving life. I have tried putting up an image before maybe this time I will succeed. At long last. I think it might be a Sea Gallantry Medal ???
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Hugh MacLean

    Hugh MacLean Senior Member

    Hi Edward and welcome, do you have his date of birth and place of birth please?

    Regards
    Hugh
     
  3. edward wilson

    edward wilson Member

    22/03/1921 in Belfast if the dates are right.

    Thank you ive been trying to put the photo up from your last message without sucess.

    Eddie
     
  4. Richelieu

    Richelieu Well-Known Member

    Welcome Edward.

    The ribbon doesn't look right for the Sea Gallantry Medal... maybe the Lloyd's Medal for Meritorious Service which were awarded to officers and men for extraordinary services in the preservation of vessels and cargoes from peril.
     
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  5. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Could this be him

    Name: Murphy , William B . Date of birth: 22 March 1919 . Place of birth: Belfast .... | The National Archives
    Reference: BT 373/1096
    Description:
    Name: Murphy William B.
    Date of birth: 22 March 1919.
    Place of birth: Belfast.
    Occupation or rank: Able Seaman.

    Prisoner of war number: Not provided.
    Date of loss of ship: 10 April 1940

    Note only year of birth is different

    Is this him?
    UK, British Prisoners of War, 1939-1945
    Name: W Murphy
    Rank: Greaser
    Army Number: R36404
    Regiment: Merchant Navy : Officers, Ratings & Foreign Seamen
    POW Number: 47
    Camp Type: Marlag und Milag Nord (Milag)
    Camp Number: Mil. N.
    Camp Location: Poland
    Name of Ship: Australind
    Section: Merchant Navy : Officers, Ratings & Foreign Seamen


    or it may be this man

    New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957
    Name: William Murphy
    Gender: Male
    Ethnicity/ Nationality: Irish
    Age: 23
    Birth Date: abt 1919
    Departure Port: Belfast, Northern Ireland
    Arrival Date: 18 Jul 1942
    Arrival Port: New York, New York, USA
    Ship Name: Empire Chapman
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2021
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  6. edward wilson

    edward wilson Member

    Thank you Tricky. Its more likely to be the first as William Broderick Murphy was his full name. Very likely lied about his age in order to join. So that is looking promising. I will look at Ancestry and see what comes up if anything on his Merchant number.

    Second one is unlikely to be him if he was torpedoed and arriving in the USA.

    Will try and identify the medal and see if that helps.
     
  7. edward wilson

    edward wilson Member

    National Archives has R36404 born 1908 so that him out.
     
  8. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958
    Name: William Broderick Murphy
    Date of Registration: 1919Apr-May-Jun
    Registration district: Belfast
    Birth Country: Ireland
    Volume: 1
    Page: 144
    FHL Film Number: 101078

    England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007
    Name: William Broderick Murphy
    Death Age: 71
    Birth Date: 22 Mar 1919
    Registration Date: Jan 1991
    Registration District: Knowsley
    Inferred County: Merseyside
    Volume: 36
    Page: 161
     
  9. edward wilson

    edward wilson Member

    Thought I had found the medal. Lloyds war medal for saving life at sea. There is a list but No William Murphy. Looked at the Albert Medal ribbon looked good but the medal is the wrong shape.

    Tricky yes now corrected. Should not rely on family to get things right. Thank you.
     
  10. Hugh MacLean

    Hugh MacLean Senior Member

    Hi Eddie,

    His Seaman’s Pouch is held at Kew in piece BT 372/76/118 - R140886 MURPHY W B 22/03/1919 BELFAST | The National Archives

    His CRS 10 is held at Kew in piece BT 382/1293 - Murphy William to Murray David | The National Archives
    Best obtained by visit or via a researcher. Both the above files will list his sea career including any torpedoed ships.
    It is difficult to make out the correct medal but I would suggest it is the Lloyd’s Meritorious Service Medal Type 4 as mentioned in #4 by Richelieu which was issued after 1935 in silver and bronze.

    I have all the recipients of the Lloyd’s War Medal for Bravery at Sea and he is not listed. Similarly, I have all the recipients of the Albert Medal and again he is not listed.

    It looks like he was interred in Sweden when his ship RIVERTON was seized by German forces at Narvik in 1940.

    Regards
    Hugh
     
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