Friends of the Somme - Mid Ulster Branch  
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11269   Private Edward Murphy
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 24/10/2021
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 9th Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers (British Army)
Date Of Birth: 20/03/1885
Died: 01/07/1916 (Killed in Action)
Age: 31
Summary      
Edward Murphy was the only son of Thomas and Martha Murphy. He was born on 20th March 1885 in Clonfeacle in County Tyrone. He was the elder of two children, both born in the Benburb area. Private Edward Murphy was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916.
Further Information
Edward Murphy was the only son of Thomas and Martha Murphy. Thomas Murphy and Martha McKeown were married on 30th August 1882 in the district of Dungannon.
Edward Murphy was born 20th March 1885 in Clonfeacle in County Tyrone. He was the elder of two children, both born in the Benburb area.
Family: Thomas Murphy, Martha Murphy, Edward Murphy (born 20th March 1885), Mary Ellen Murphy (born 4th August 1891).
The 1911 census records Edward as 25 years old. He was working as an agricultural labourer. He was living with the family in Benburb Town.
Edward Murphy was a member of the Benburb Company U.V.F.,
Edward was living in Benburb and volunteered at the commencement of the war. He enlisted in Dungannon with the 9th Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
Medal card
Private Edward Murphy arrived in France with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 5th October 1915.
Private Edward Murphy was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme on 1st July 1916. He was aged about 30.
From the Belfast Newsletter dated 19th August 1916:
Private Edward Murphy (Tyrone Volunteers), missing, is a son of Mr Thomas Murphy, Benburb, and was a member of Dungannon Battalion, U.V.F.
From the Tyrone Courier dated 24 August 1916:
The War Office has notified Mr Thomas Murphy, Benburb, that his son, Private Edward Murphy, Tyrone Volunteers, cannot be traced since 1st July.
From the Mid Ulster Mail dated Saturday 26th August 1916:
The War Office has notified Mt Thomas Murphy, Benburb, Moy, that his son, Private Edward Murphy, Tyrone Volunteers, cannot be traced since the advance on 1st July. He was a member of the Benburb Company U.V.F., and had volunteered at the commencement of the war.
Private Edward Murphy has no known grave has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. 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.
The CWGC record Private Edward Murphy as the son of Thomas and Martha Murphy of Maydown, Benburb, County Tyrone.
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Relevant Dungannon Area Locations
No Location Region Location Notes Longtitude Latitude
1 Benburb Town Benburb Census listing in Benburb Town 54.412375 -6.745631
GRONI References
TYPE - B:Birth M:Marriage D:Death | GRONI | SIBLING: brother or sister | NOTES: spelling inconsistencies, etc.
Date Type Surname First name Relationship GRONI Ref Notes
30/08/1882 M McKeown Martha Parent M/1882/T1/1413/3/82b
30/08/1882 M Murphy Thomas Parent M/1882/T1/1413/3/82a
20/03/1885 B Murphy Edward Casualty U/1885/106/1012/7/416
04/08/1891 B Murphy Mary Sibling U/1891/106/1012/9/29 McKewn
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 1911 Census lists Murphy family Lists Edward as age 25 living with the family at house 4 in Benburb Town, Tyrone
2 National Archives UK Medal Card can be purchased here
Dungannon District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2015-2023