LEST WE FORGET

Warrant Jack Donald MURPHY

Service No: 413007
Born: Hobart TAS, 25 April 1919
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 August 1941 (at Sydney NSW)
Unit: No. 111 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operation: (No. 111 Squadron Spitfire aircraft MJ151), off the Italian Coast, 20 March 1944, Aged 24 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James George and Nora Ena Murphy; husband of Ivy Allen Murphy, of Petersham, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 16, Column 1, Malta Memorial, Malta
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

Spitfire MJ151 was one of 12 aircraft detailed to patrolling the Anzio beachhead Italy, at 18,000 feet from 0650 hours on 20 March 1944. Two formations of enemy aircraft 5,000 feet below were sighted and the Spitfire formation dived to attack. During combat the formation split up in the area between the beachhead and the River Tiber. As the aircraft were returning from the patrol, MJ151 called on the radio that he would have to bale out. He was not seen to bale out and MJ151 did not return to base. It was later recorded that the aircraft had crashed into the sea, and that Warrant Officer Murphy had no known grave.

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 166/28/84

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