The Wartime Memories Project - The Second War

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239135 T.Capt Mervyn Clement Ross Murphy MID British Army Royal Ulster Rifles from:Dalkey, Co Dublin, Ireland Mervyn was born on 13 November 1917 at Dalkey, Co Dublin, and attended Castleknock College from 1929 to 1933. He and his elder brother, Cecil, used to roar around the streets of Dalkey on Cecil's motorbike and on more than one occasion raised the ire of the local population. He was known to have fallen off more than once. He was married twice, firstly, to Mary Ross-Smith in 1940 at St Albans, Hertfordshire. They subsequently divorced and no children from the marriage. Mary remarried in 1951. He then married Phyllis D Groves, born 1923, in Kensington in 1964. There were no children from this marriage. Mervyn died in Southampton on 3 May 1987. He served with the British Army during the Second World War and afterwards remustered to the Royal Air Force. As published in the London Gazette on 6 July 1948 he was appointed as a Flying Officer to the RAF Regiment effective 17 July 1945 . Mervyn’s R.A.F Officer's Record of Service makes for interesting reading. In brief the following are the main points: 1. Army Service: a. Gunner Light Anti-Aircraft Nov ’39 to July ‘43 b. Emergency Commission Royal Artillery 2nd Lt July ‘43 c. Transferred to Royal Ulster Rifles Oct ’44 Lt, Acting/Temp Capt. Nov ’45 to June ’46, Acting/Temp Major June ’46 to June ’48. d. Relinquished Army Commission on appointment to Short Service Commission R.A.F June’48 2. R.A.F Service a. Short Service Commission Flt Officer June ’48, Flt Lt Mar ’49 to Feb ‘53 b. Flt Lt June ’54 to Oct ’54, transferred to reserve June ’54 to Oct’ 55 c. Short Service Commission Flt Lt Oct ’55 Dec ‘57 d. Permanent Commission Flt Lt Dec ’57 to Dec ’62 when he retired. He served in the Middle East Airforce from July ’50 to Aug ’53, 2 years based at El Hamra in Egypt on the edge of the Great Bitter Lake Suez Canal. He was then based in Aden from Aug ’52 to Aug ’53 as Officer Commanding No 5 Squadron RAF Regiment Aden Protectorate Levies and this is when he was ‘Mentioned in Dispatches’. It was in the late 40's and early 50's that he and his wife, Mary, spent time in the company of Sir Bernard and Lady Norah Docker as Mervyn saw himself as a bit of a playboy at this time. It was possibly of there times that caused the split. After his retirement from the RAF he joined the Midland Bank and subsequently had a smallholding which I understand was not a success. His proper surname was Ross Murphy (unhyphenated) which caused much confusion as did mine until made it with a hyphen. Provided by his nephew Brian F Ross-Murphy Add to this record.  Related Content: Royal Ulster Rifles Royal Artillery Can you help us to add to our records? Add a record to our website. The names and stories on this website have been submitted by their relatives and friends. If your relations are not listed please add their names so that others can read about them Did you or your relatives live through the Second World War? Do you have any photos, newspaper clippings, postcards or letters from that period? Have you researched the names on your local or war memorial? Were you or your relative evacuated? Did an air raid affect your area? If so please let us know. Help us to build a database of information on those who served both at home and abroad so that future generations may learn of their sacrifice. Contact us. Celebrate your own Family History Celebrate by honouring members of your family who served in the Secomd World War both in the forces and at home. We love to hear about the soldiers, but also remember the many who served in support roles, nurses, doctors, land army, muntions workers etc. Please use our Family History resources to find out more about your relatives. Then please send in a short article, with a photo if possible, so that they can be remembered on these pages.

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