Thomas Murphy was born in 1891 in Liverpool, the son of Thomas Murphy and his wife Catherine (née Kelly). His father, from Kilkenny, and his mother, from Dublin, married on the 21st July 1878 at St Kevin’s Church in South Dublin. At the time of their marriage, Thomas, was a tailor of 32 Clarendon Street, father Patrick, whilst Catherine was of 12 Liberty Lane, father Mark. They had nine children. John and Christina were born in Dublin, and by 1881 the family had moved to Liverpool, where his father also worked as a tailor.  

 

Twins Elizabeth and Catherine were born on 16th December 1882 (but Catherine died), Anastasia (Annie) 04th August 1884, another set of twins Catherine and Mary 14th January 1886 (sadly, Catherine died), and Mary, born 19th May 1888.

 

All his Liverpool-born siblings were baptised in St. Peter’s Priory, Seel Street, Liverpool.

 

Thomas Murphy, mother Kelly, was born in the March quarter of 1891. A Thomas Patrick Murphy was born on 12th January 1891 to Thomas and Catherine (née Finegan) and baptised in St. Peter’s priory on 14th January.  Despite the incorrect mother’s maiden name, this is likely Thomas, as the 1901 census, taken on 5th April shows Thomas as 2 months old, and there are no Murphy civil birth records with mother Finegan/Finnegan. This birthdate, however, does not agree with his age on enlistment.

 

The 1891 census finds the family in court housing, at 3 House 8 Court, Thomas Street, with six children. Born in Ireland are: his father, a tailor, aged 41, his mother aged 39, John 11 at school, and Christina 10 at school. Born Liverpool are: Elizabeth (Lizzie) 8 at school, Annie 6 at school, Mary 2, and Thomas 2 months old.  

 

His elder sister Christina died in 1900 at the age of 19, (a coroner was involved).

 

By 1901 they have noved to 51 Byles Street, Toxteth, with five children.  His father is a tailor/coatmaker.  His parents are both 50, John is 21, a carter (navvy), Elizabeth is 18, a tailor’s machinist, Anastasia, 16, is a cap cutter (hats), Mary is 12, and Thomas Patrick 11 (he would have been 10).

 

The 1911 Census finds Thomas and his mother at 7 Blair Street, Toxteth Park (across Upper Parliament Street from the Anglican Cathedral).  His mother is 61, and Thomas is 20, employed as a grocer’s carter. His mother states she has been married 32 years (but her husband is not in the household).  She states four of her nine children have died, “+ 1 missing” (daughter Annie/Anastasia is not found on the census). In the column requesting information on disability, she writes, “No infirmity here, only the want of a few million spondulicks” (old fashioned slang for money).

 

Also at 7 Blair Street, in separate household returns, are his married sisters Elizabeth Bower with her husband and children, and Mary Mitchell and her husband. His father appears to have died a few months later, in August 1911, aged 63.

 

He enlisted in Liverpool on 07th November as Private 22787, joining the 20th (Pals) Battalion of The Kings’s Liverpool Regiment. He gave his age as 23 years and 93 days and his occupation as clerk. He was described as being 5’ 6 and a half inches tall, weighing 119 lbs, 35” chest, with a fresh complexion, grey eyes, and dark brown hair. He has several tattoo “dots” on his left forearm. He gives as next of kin his mother Catherine, 7 Blair Street and states his religion as Roman Catholic. He enlisted under the name Thomas Murphy but another page of his record shows middle name Patrick.

Formed in November 1914 the 20^th Battalion were originally billeted at Tournament Hall, Knotty Ash before on 29^th January 1915 they moved to the hutted accommodation purposely built at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

 

Whilst Thomas was in training at Knowsley, near Liverpool, his mother died, on 16th March 1915, aged 62.  Perhaps it was a blessing, as she did not have to suffer the loss of both her sons in the war.  After his mother’s death his next of kin was changed to his sister Elizabeth Bower, 7 Blair Street.

 

On 12th March 1915 he was appointed paid Lance Corporal

On 01st July 1915 he was appointed Acting Corporal

 

Thomas shipped to France with his battalion, disembarking at Boulogne on 07th November 1915.

 

His brother John, Private 6036, of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards, was killed in action on 23rd November 1915. He now rests in Rue de Bacquerot No.1 Military Cemetery, Laventie. In his possessions he had the addresses of sisters E. Bower at 7 Blair St, J. Mitchell at 7 Christian St, his brother-in-law Joseph Thompson in Ashton in Makerfield, his mother’s family (Kelly) in Dublin, and his work colleague Patrick Toner mentioned in the newspaper below. His wife Magaret Jane Thompson had died in 1911. 

05/05/1916 to Field Ambulance, fever of unknown origin. Upon being admitted to 96 F.A., influenza was diagnosed.

07/5/1916 discharged to duty.

08/5/1916 rejoined unit in the field. 

26/6/1916 appointed Acting Sgt.

He was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916 at the village of Guillemont, during the Somme Offensive.

The 20^th King’s Battalion Diary records:

“At 4.45am prompt the attack was launched. Unfortunately, a thick mist prevailed and it was impossible to see more than 10 yards ahead. This continued until about 6 o’clock when it lifted slightly, but it was still too hazy and impossible to see what was happening 100 yards ahead. This being so, it was not surprising to find that the attacking waves were experiencing great difficulty in maintaining connection.”

At 6am, Lt. RE Melly, No.1 Company, reported that his men had taken the German Maltz Horn trench.

At 6.30am, 2/Lt. CP Moore reported that he had 150 men, 4 Stokes Mortars and 2 Lewis Guns, but he was the only officer. He also said that due to the fog, both his “flanks were in the air” i.e. he was not in contact with neighbouring troops.

At 9.10am, Moore was still not in contact at his flanks, and now he had only 75 men, he had sent out 2 patrols and neither not returned. Later Moore established communication with the French on his right.

Around 10.00am, 2/Lt Musker reported that he had just over a company with him, but his left flank was suffering from German machine gun fire. Later he reported that he had over 30 casualties from the machine gun fire. His flanks were also “in the air”. No contact was made with this party until the remnants returned around 9.30pm, all runners sent were killed or missing. The War Diary states that this group had: ”held the ground won all day, and this permitted the consolidation of the ground won on the Maltz Horn ridge with little interference from the enemy”.

Relief for 20/Kings had been planned for 11.00pm, but it was 5.00am on the 31st July before it took place, ending a tragic day for the Liverpool Pals.

Casualties for 20^th Battalion were 16 Officers and 357 Other Ranks

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July. 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone.

Based on his baptism and census age, Thomas would have been 25 years old. 

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

His sister Elizabeth Bower, of 7 Blair Street, received his personal effects: 1 photo.

 

Infantry Records requested the assistance of Liverpool City Police in locating his sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Bower at 23 Lewark Street, Walton but apparently without success. They were also unable to trace his sister, Mrs. M. Mitchell, 24 St. Anne Street, in order to dispose of the Memorial Plaque and Scroll.  His medals were eventually issued to Elizabeth, living at 23 Steen Street, Everton, in 1922.  She also received his Army effects, including a War Gratuity of £10-10s. A dependants pension was awarded to his sister Mrs Elizabeth Bowers of 12 Blair Street, Liverpol.

 

Sadly, Thomas has not been identified on any memorial.