Australia Service Medal 1939-45 : Warrant Officer J D Murphy, 111 Squadron, RAF

Australia Service Medal 1939-45, impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Associated with the service of Warrant Officer Jack Donald Murphy, who was born in Hobart, Tasmania on 25 April 1919. Murphy moved with his parents from Hobart to Sydney in his youth, settling in Neutral Bay. He attended primary school from 1925 to 1932 and intermediate high school from 1932 to 1935 in Neutral Bay. He finished with his intermediate certificate, after which he worked as a salesman with City Hatters in Sydney.

He enlisted for service in the army as a signalman with 1 Division Signals in May 1940. In March 1941, Murphy applied, for and was accepted into the RAAF reserve. He discharged from 1 Division Signals on 14 August 1941 and enlisted for full-time RAAF service the following day.

Murphy was accepted for aircrew training and after his initial training period, he was posted for pilot training to 10 Elementary Flying Training School (EFTS) in November. Following the successful completion of this course, he returned to Sydney briefly and married Ivy Allen Murphy at St Augustine Church, Neutral Bay on 7 February 1942.

In March he attended Service Flying Training Schools (SFTS) at Wagga and Deniliquin, which he successfully passed. During this period he was promoted to sergeant. Murphy was posted to England to fly fighter aircraft. Murphy embarked from Sydney on 28 August 1942 and arrived at RAF Station Bournemouth in mid-November. He began conversion training for Spitfire aircraft and spent the next 10 months in Operational Training units and flying schools.

In October 1943, he was posted to North Africa to join an operational fighter squadron. He was posted to 111 Squadron, RAF based at Capodichino, Italy in December. Murphy was promoted to warrant officer on 26 December. When Allied forces landed at Anzio, Italy in late January 1944, 111 Squadron was heavily involved, flying many operations over the beach head in support of ground troops. At 6.15 on the morning of 20 May, a flight of 12 Spitfire MK IXc aircraft, one piloted by Murphy, took off to patrol the Anzio area.

The Spitfires were flying at 18,000 feet when two flights of 6 enemy aircraft were spotted 5,000 feet below at approximately 6.50 am. The spitfires attacked and the two formations engaged in a dogfight between the Anzio beach head and the River Tiber.

As the enemy aircraft retreated, the spitfires began to reform. Murphy was heard by his colleagues over a radio transmission saying he had to bail out. His next transmission was a mayday and then nothing.

Murphy's fellow pilots conducted an exhaustive search of the area, but no trace of the aircraft or Murphy could be found. He was officially listed as missing in action the following day. After a long investigation he was pronounced killed in action in 1946. His body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the Malta Memorial.