LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Francis Edward MURPHY
Service No: 401387
Born: Echuca VIC, 22 February 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 2 February 1941
Unit: No. 32 Squadron (RAF), RAF Station Ford
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 32 Squadron Hurricane aircraft Z3518), Ford, 20 June 1942, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Littlehampton Cemetery, Sussex
CWGC Additional Information: Son of John and Catherine Annie Murphy, of Bunnaloo, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Echuca VIC
Remembered: Panel 127, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Malthoura War Memorial, Malthoura NSW
On 20 June 1942 Hurricane Z3518 flown by Sergeant Murphy along with other aircraft from the Squadron were carrying out a practice attack in sections of four on Ford aerodrome at very low level. The pilots were instructed before the flight not to get too low and to be careful. Z3518 crashed during the practice and Sergeant Murphy was killed. Marks on the ground showed the aircraft hit the aerodrome several hundred yards inside the perimeter track where the ground was perfectly level.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/146/105
Register of War Memorials in New South Wales On-Line