Arthur William Murphy
| Arthur William Murphy | |
|---|---|
Murphy (left) and Wrigley during their pioneering trans-Australia flight, 1919
|
|
| Nickname(s) | "" |
| Born |
17 November 1891 Kew, Victoria |
| Died | 21 April 1963 (aged 71) Essendon, Victoria |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service/branch | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1914–46 |
| Rank | Air Commodore |
| Unit |
No. 1 Squadron AFC (1916–18) No. 3 Squadron (1925–26) |
| Commands held |
No. 1 Aircraft Depot (1938–40) No. 4 Maintenance Group (1942–45) |
| Battles/wars |
World War I World War II |
| Awards |
Distinguished Flying Cross Air Force Cross Mentioned in Despatches |
World War I
Air Commodore Arthur William Murphy, DFC, AFC, FRAeS (17 November 1891 – 21 April 1963) was a senior engineer and aviator in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He accompanied Captain Henry Wrigley on the first trans-Australia flight from Melbourne to Darwin in 1919, a feat that earned both men the Air Force Cross. Murphy later played a leading role in military aircraft maintenance and production. A veteran of World War I, he served first as a mechanic and then as a pilot with the Australian Flying Corps. Based in the Middle East, he flew with No. 1 Squadron and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Murphy was the first airman on the RAAF's strength when it formed in 1921, and rose to the rank of temporary air commodore during World War II, commanding No. 1 Aircraft Depot and No. 4 Maintenance Group. He was also the RAAF's first Inspector of Air Accidents. A fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society, Murphy retired from the military in 1946, and died in 1963 at the age of seventy-one.
Murphy was born 17 November 1891 in Kew, a suburb of Melbourne, to joiner and engineer Charles Hubert Murphy and his wife Mary. Educated at Melbourne High School and Footscray Technical School, he spent five years with Austral Otis Engineering as an apprentice. Having been employed at various engineering firms, Murphy joined the Australian Army's Aviation Instructional Staff at Central Flying School Point Cook in 1914 to train as an air mechanic. By February 1916, he had risen to the rank of sergeant and volunteered for the Australian Imperial Force to serve overseas. Transferring to the Australian Flying Corps, Murphy was allocated to No. 1 Squadron—also known until 1918 as No. 67 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps (RFC)—as a warrant officer. He departed Melbourne aboard HMAT A67 Orsova on 16 March, bound for Egypt.
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