Pte 16730 Edward Murphy

• Age: 20
• From: Hanley Staffs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Wednesday 5th July 1916
• Commemorated at: St Sever Cem, Rouen
  Panel Ref: A.23.13

Edward Murphy was born in Hanley Stoke-on-Trent on the 06th November 1895, the son of John James Murphy and his wife Jane (nee Jones). His parents married in St Mary's Church, Walton on the Hill in 1894. 

The 1901 Census shows that the family have moved to Bootle, they are living at 5 Shakespeare Street. Edward is five years of age and is living with his parents and three siblings. His father is not present at the time of the Census  and his mother is listed as the head of the household. She is a 43 year old married woman, born in Hanley. Also present are Edward's siblings, all born in Hanley and listed as; Jack aged 20 a dock labourer, Elizabeth aged 19 and Harry aged 13. 

By the time of the 1911 Census the family have moved to 25 Shakespeare Street, Bootle. His mother is again the head of the household and states that she has been married for 32 years and that four of her six children have survived. Edward is now 15 years of age and is an office boy for a general dealer. His sister Elizabeth is now 28 years of age and is married, her surname is now Robinson. She has been married for 9 years and has had five children. She lives at the property with her five children; Elsie aged 7, Lilian aged 5, John age not stated, Jenny aged 2 and Eric aged 9 months.        

At the outbreak of the war they were living at 50 Grove Street, Bootle and later at 120 Knowsley Road, Bootle. The 1914 Gores at 50 Grove St. shows his father John as a mariner.

When Edward enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on the 02nd September 1914 joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16730 he was employed as a ships steward with the White Star Line. He was aged 18 years 300 days, and his occupation was shown as a ships steward. He was described as being 5' 2" inches, weighed 118lbs with a fresh complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. His religion is stated as Church of England. His next of kin was shown as John Murphy of 50 Grove Street, Bootle, this address was later replaced by 120 Knowsley Road, Bootle. 

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th 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. He sailed to France with his Battalion on board the SS Invicta on the 07th November 1915.

In the attack at Montauban on the 01st July 1916, Edward was wounded in the thigh by shrapnel and treated at 45 Casualty Clearing Station and at No 5 General Hospital (Rouen) where his right leg was amputated on the 04th July.

Word was sent to his parents in Bootle that their son was lying dangerously ill and that permission had been granted for them to visit. Such visits were "means tested" and the vicar of St Leonard's Church, Bootle, sent a signed certificate to the War Office stating that in his opinion Edward's parents were unable to afford the cost of the journey to France. His mother left Lime Street Station, Liverpool for Southampton taking the boat to Le Havre on the 05th July. They returned to Liverpool from Southampton the following day having arrived at the hospital to find that her son had died of his wounds just before they arrived. His sister paid for herself and subsequently submitted a claim for £3 11s 5d. The claim was disputed as it was felt that Mrs Murphy could have travelled alone. It is not known whether the claim was ever approved by the War Office.

The 18th Battalion Diary gives an insight into the events of the day when Edward was wounded:

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter  wrote in the conclusion of his account of the days action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.    

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257. 

Edward died of wounds on the 05th July 1916, aged 20, and now rests at St Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France.

During the First World War, Commonwealth camps and hospitals were stationed on the southern outskirts of Rouen. A base supply depot and the 3rd Echelon of General Headquarters were also established in the city.

Almost all of the hospitals at Rouen remained there for practically the whole of the war. They included eight general, five stationary, one British Red Cross, one labour hospital, and No. 2 Convalescent Depot. A number of the dead from these hospitals were buried in other cemeteries, but the great majority were taken to the city cemetery of St. Sever. In September 1916, it was found necessary to begin an extension.

The Cemetery and the Extension adjoin each other but have separate Registers.

St. Sever Cemetery contains 3,082 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There is also 1 French burial and 1 non war service burial here.The adjoining cemetery extension contains 8,348 Commonwealth burials of the First World War (ten of them unidentified) and in Block "S" there are 328 from the Second World War (18 of them unidentified). There are also 8 Foreign National burials here.

The Commonwealth plots were designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Daily Post on 21st July 1916.

Soldiers Effects to father John J., Pension to mother Jane.

Liverpool Daily Post 16th Nov 1917

GRAVES OF FALLEN

WALTON SOLDIER'S LETTER FROM FRANCE

We have received from Mrs William O'Neill of 32 Tintern Street, Wallton, a letter in which she says her husband, who is serving in France has sent her a list of men of the Liverpool Regiments whose graves he saw while passing through a cemetery. She adds that the graves are beautifully kept and cared for. The names given included 16730 Private Murphy.

Family notice Liverpool Echo 4th July 1918

MURPHY - In sad but loving memory of our dear son EDWARD MURPHY (Teddy), 18th K.L.R. ("Pals"), who died from wounds received July 1st, age 20. - Sadly missed by Father and Mother, Brothers and Sister, 120 Knowsley Road, Bootle. 

As of July 1919 his survivng siblings were John aged 33, Harry aged 31 and his sister Mrs Elizabeth Robinson aged 36. 

Edward is also remembered on the following Memorials:

Grey Street Junior school, Chestnut Grove, Bootle

Bootle Civic Memorial, Stanley Road, Bootle.

We currently have no further information on Edward Murphy, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.