Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Private J. Murphy, 2nd Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, who died of wounds near Ste. Marguerite, on the Aisne, on 17 September 1914

1914 Star, with clasp (217 Pte. J. Murphy. 2/Lan: Fus.) in named card box of issue with transmission letter; British War and Victory Medals (217 Pte. J. Murphy. Lan. Fus.) in named card boxes of issue with transmission letters; Memorial Plaque (John Murphy) extremely fine (4) £240-£280

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals.

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John Murphy was born in 1885 and attested for the Lancashire Fusiliers in 1904. He served with the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 26 August 1914, and died of wounds at a Field Ambulance near Ste. Marguerite on 17 September 1914.

Four days earlier his battalion had crossed the Aisne under heavy shell-fire at Venizel from where they advanced via Bucy-de-Long and through Ste. Marguerite to a wood just east of the village. From here they held positions under rifle and machine-gun fire from enemy trenches in front of Chivres and the western slopes of the Chivres Spur until relieved that night by the 2nd Manchesters. The battalion had sustained casualties of over 100 officers and men either killed, wounded or missing as a result of the operation.

John Murphy was the husband of Catherine Foster (formerly Murphy) and is buried in the North East corner of Ste. Marguerite Churchyard, France.