Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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Date Information
01/05/2020 02250
17/03/2018 Mrs Murphy, Chapel Street, Cookstown, has received intimation from the War Office that her son, Private Patrick Murphy, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, has been killed in action at the Dardanelles on 21st August. He joined the army at the beginning of the war, being then seventeen years and three months old, so he was only a little over eighteen years of age at his death. Prior to enlistment, he was in the employment of Messrs Thomas Adair & Sons. Of a kindly and obliging disposition, he was popular with all who knew him. He possessed considerable ability as a humorous vocalist, and was ever ready to assist on the programme of public entertainments. His father is an old army man, also on the Inniskillings, and went through the Boer war. His time was expired and he was employed at Messrs Adair’s since his coming to Cookstown from Bailieborough a few years ago with his family. He rejoined at the beginning of the war, and is at present in Londonderry. General sympathy is expressed with the parents and other relatives of the young soldier who has met his end at so early an age. The sympathy of the King and Queen has been expressed in a note from Lord Kitchener.
17/03/2018
17/03/2018 From the Mid Ulster Mail dated 19th September 1915: Private Patrick Murphy
06/09/2016
05/09/2016 He was known to have a kindly and obliging disposition, and was popular with all who knew him. He possessed considerable ability as a humorous vocalist and was ever ready to assist in the programmes of public entertainment.
05/09/2016 Patrick Murphy was a son of Patrick and Mary Murphy.
05/09/2016 His father had married Mary O’Reilly, of Chapel Street, Cookstown and they went to live at 105 Stockwell Road, Glasgow.
05/09/2016 His father had served with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and had been through the Boer War.
05/09/2016 Patrick Murphy was born in Whiteinch, Lanarkshire, Scotland on 7th February 1897.
05/09/2016 The family returned to Ireland and lived Belturbet, County Cavan, where Patrick’s father originally came from.
05/09/2016 The family moved to Cookstown.
05/09/2016 Known family: Patrick Murphy, Mary Murphy, Sarah Murphy (born about 1893), Hate Murphy (born about 1895), Patrick Murphy (born about 1897), Phil Murphy (born about 1900), William Murphy (born about 1901), James Murphy (born about 1903), Mary Murphy (born about 1906), John Murphy (born about 1908), Peter Murphy (born about 1910).
05/09/2016 After leaving school young Patrick, worked for Thomas Adair & Sons.
05/09/2016 His father rejoined the army in 1914 serving throughout the war in Londonderry.
05/09/2016 Patrick (junior) enlisted in Cookstown with the 1st Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and went to Gallipoli as part of the 29th Division in April 1915. The heat during the day was almost unbearable and fresh water was virtually impossible to find. Fighting in this environment with steep rocky hillsides and very shallow trenches was difficult and losses were heavy.
05/09/2016 Private Patrick Murphy was killed in action on 21st August 1915 close to Scimitar Hill. Dense scrub covered this part of the countryside and it burnt with a thick acrid smoke. This scrub had been set alight by the constant shelling and the British were forced to fight among the many fires here and this hampered their movements.
05/09/2016 Private Murphy has no known grave and is commemorated on panels 97-101 on Helles Memorial, Turkey.
05/09/2016 He is also commemorated on Cookstown Cenotaph.
05/09/2016 The CWGC record Private Patrick Murphy as the son of Patrick and Mary Murphy.
05/09/2016 The 1911 census lists Patrick as 14 year old, living with the family at house 65 in Killymoon Street, Cookstown. His father was a labourer.
04/09/2016 From the Belfast Newsletter dated 16th September 1915:
04/09/2016 Mrs Murphy, Chapel Street, Cookstown, has received information from the War Office that her son, Private Patrick Murphy, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, has been killed in action at the Dardanelles on 21st August. Prior to enlistment, he was in the employment of Messrs Thomas Adair and Sons.
04/09/2016
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