Description

Offered is a 1914 – 15 Star, impressed named LIEUT E. MURPHY. 31 BN A.I.F.; British War and Victory Medals (1914 – 18) impressed named CAPTAIN E. MURPHY. A.I.F.  with modern M.I.D device, court mounted for display. Comes with copy service record and group photographs.

Captain Eustace Murphy was born on the 10/8/1982 and was a qualified solicitor working in North Queensland. (Numerous Qld newspaper articles mention him in the Police Courts). He had previously served as a Lieutenant in the Kennedy Regiment being Gazetted 9/1/1904. He enlisted into the A.I.F. and was posted to ‘B’ Company 31^st Battalion, effective 30/8/1915.

He sailed from Melbourne with the battalion 9/11/ 1915, landing in Egypt 7/12/1915 in time to qualify for the 1914 – 15 Star. Due to his legal qualifications he was working in the legal section dealing with court martials in Egypt. A note on his file states ‘He was posted from the 31^st Battalion to Headquarters in England for further work dealing with court martials and that he was 45 years of age and accustomed to a ‘sedentary life’. He landed in Plymouth 16/6/1916 after being promoted to Captain 13/3/1916.

M.I.D. brought to notice of Secretary of State for war: ‘for valuable service rendered’.

He returned to Australia 31/3/1919, where he died 31/10/1940 and is buried in Waverley Cemetery, N.S.W.