Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthFebruary 17, 1893
Place of BirthGreyabbey, Newtownards, County Down
CountryIreland
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinJohn Murphy (father), Greyabbey, County Down, Ireland
Trade / CallingHotel Clerk
ReligionPresbyterian
Service Details
Regimental Number1285751
Service Record Link to Service Record
BattalionNo. 10 Service Company
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Army Service Corps
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Place of EnlistmentWinnipeg, Manitoba
Address at EnlistmentSuite M, Ashford Block, Balmoral Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Date of EnlistmentJune 22, 1918
Age at Enlistment25
Theatre of ServiceCanada
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathMarch 20, 1961
Age at Death68
Buried AtLake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario
PlotRC-B-10-4

Murphy, Alfred Henry

Staff Sergeant Major Alfred Henry Murphy served at the militia headquarters in Winnipeg from January 1915 to June 1918, followed by about two years with the Canadian Army Service Corps. He was demobilized in April 1919.

Alfred was the son of John and Lucy Murphy of Greyabbey, County Down, Ireland. John was a shoemaker and his wife worked as a dressmaker. They had seven children: Susie, Jessie, Patrick, Alfred, Maurice, Walter and Barbara. Patrick was born on 19 May 1891 and Alfred on 17 February 1893, both in Greyabbey. Alfred was still living at home at the time of the 1911 census, with his occupation recorded as monitor. The following year he immigrated to Canada along with his brother Patrick and they settled in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Alfred found work as a clerk and Patrick was an accountant.

The war started in August 1914 and Patrick enlisted with the 43rd Battalion five months later. He was seriously wounded in October 1915 and had his right arm and part of one foot amputated. He was invalided back to Canada in 1917. Alfred joined a militia unit in Winnipeg in January 1915 and served at No. 10 District Headquarters for three and a half years. On 22 June 1918 he enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force and he was posted to the Canadian Army Service Corps No. 10 Service Company as a Staff Sergeant Major. On 29 December he was admitted to the Manitoba Military Hospital in Tuxedo Park, Winnipeg with epidemic influenza. He recovered and was released to duty on 8 January 1919. He served another three months and was discharged on demobilization on 10 April.

Alfred stayed in Winnipeg after the war and he and his brother Patrick lived together for several years. Alfred was a clerk at the McLaren Hotel and Patrick was a law student. Patrick married Margaret Eva Ashford in March 1924 at the Central Congregational Church in Winnipeg and they had one son, Michael. In the late 1930s Alfred moved to Kenora, Ontario. He worked as a clerk at the Kenricia Hotel and was known as ‘Murph’ to the guests and local residents. He became a member of the Lake of the Woods Club.

Alfred passed away suddenly on 20 March 1961, at age 68. His funeral was held four days later and he’s buried in the Catholic section of Lake of the Woods Cemetery. He was survived by his three sisters, all of London, England, his brother Maurice in New Zealand and Patrick in Winnipeg. Patrick died on 1 April 1966 and he’s buried in Elmwood Cemetery in Winnipeg.

By Becky Johnson


Alfred’s grave marker was installed in Lake of the Woods Cemetery in 2018 by the Last Post Fund.


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