A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties

Four: Second Radio Officer T. Murphy, Merchant Navy, who was killed in action when S.S. Empire Progress was torpedoed by the German submarine U-402 and sank 200 miles north west of the Azores, 13 April 1942

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Minister of Transport enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mr. P. Murphy, 69 Lowerhouse Lane, Widnes, Lancs.’, nearly extremely fine (4) £80-120

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to Second World War Casualties.

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Provenance: Eric Smith Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, November 2009.

Thomas Murphy served during the Second World War as a Second Radio Officer in the 5,249 ton cargo ship S.S. Empire Progress, which was hit by a torpedo from the German submarine U-402, under the command of Baron Siegfried von Forstner, and sank 200 miles north west of the Azores, whilst bound from Glasgow to Tampa, Florida. The Captain, seven crew, and four gunners were lost.

Murphy was amongst those killed, aged 20. He is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial. His medals were sent to his father Major Peter Murphy.