TOPIC:

He was Irish - a confirmed pair of Boer and British medals for the Anglo Boer War awarded to the same Officer recipient!


Pair – Anglo Boere Oorlog medalje Komdt. T.F. Murphy; QSA no bar: Leader T.F. Murphy, Barberton T.G.

Thomas Francis Murphy was an Irish immigrant to South Africa. He owned a shop at Kaapmuiden in the Barberton District. He initially applied for both the ABO and DTD medals but these were initially refused as it was recorded that he was once held as a prisoner in Pretoria, later signing the oath of allegiance in order to secure his release. He was well connected to influential Boers in the Eastern Transvaal and subsequently appealed and was awarded the ABO medal.

Researcher Dewald Nel of Pretoria has copied a large quantity of documents from both the Defence Force and Transvaal Archives which confirm that Murphy was the recipient of both medals. A lengthy and detailed obituary was also published in a Johannesburg newspaper following his death however many of the details given therein seem to be somewhat of an embroidered Irish tale!

One might speculate Murphy’s Irish heritage and his friendship with Tom Casement who was appointed as the Inspector of Mines at Barberton during the Anglo Boer War. Tom Casement was also appointed as a Lieutenant in the Barberton Town Guard, whereas Tom’s brother, Sir Roger David Casement, K.B., CMG, held an important official British position in Portuguese East Africa during the War. Sir Roger however got caught up in the troubles during the Irish Rebellion in 1916 and was found to have endevoured to import a very large quantity of arms from America into Ireland. He was subsequently arrested, convicted and summarily executed by the British in 1916. Perhaps this, and other events of the time, encouraged Thomas Murphy to emphasize his Boer colours and to ensure that he was awarded the Boer medal!



Thomas Francis Murphy and his wife Evelyn Frances Hallet and family

That is a pair! Thanks for sharing.

A fantastic pair a crown jewel in any collection......

Mike

One word Rob - STUNNING

THE OBITUARY (Sunday Times, July 12th, 1936)



COMMANDANT–GENERAL THOMAS MURPHY

“The death at Barberton of Commandant-General Thomas Francis Murphy, eldest son of Chief Justice T.F. Murphy, half-brother to the late Earl of Lismore, removes a famous South African character.

General Murphy was born at Cahir, Tipperary, in 1858, and was educated at Stoneyhurst College, England.

Among his friends were the late Conan Doyle, Edgar Wallace, General Roberts, General French, Paul Kruger and Dr Jameson.

Commandant Murphy came to South Africa at the age of 21, when Cape Town was a small town, and he surveyed part of the Hex River Railway.

He saw service during the Zulu War at Hlobane, Isandlwana and Eshowe. He was twice sent for by Cetewayo, the great chief, for advice, and after big-game hunting in the Northern Transvaal he went to Pretoria and helped in laying out and surveying the streets.

When the whisper of gold discoveries at Moodies reached him he left for Barberton and was one of the first to reach the new goldfields.

He started the police force on the diggings and could relate many an interesting tale of their experiences.

He later conducted the Prince Serge on a trip through the Game Reserve as the country was familiar to him.

General Murphy was one of the soldiers in the vicinity when the Prince Imperial was killed in Natal, and was stated to be the first man to whom the priest showed the body of the Prince after it had been prepared for burial.

He commanded the men at Ressano Garcia who were awaiting word from Dr Jameson that they had entered the Rand, whereupon General Murphy was to cut the means of communication and enter the Transvaal.

When the Anglo-Boer War broke out General Murphy sided with the country in which he was making a livelihood, and he commanded the Boer forces at Barberton.

He held the bridge spanning the Crocodile and De Kaap Rivers at Kaapmuiden for a whole night when his handful of men were down with fever. He later blew up the bridge to prevent British troops getting through.

When Barberton was taken he fled for the Portuguese border, but was arrested and held prisoner at Pretoria.

After the war he returned to Barberton and remained there ever since.

He it was who forced the first Barberton municipality to erect a water-pumping station which served the town up to a few years ago.

He remained active up to his death and retained a marvellous memory. He is survived by two sons and four daughters. He owned the farm Kahirfield, Kaapmuiden, and was approached to stand as a member of parliament to represent the eastern Transvaal, but refused on account of his not being bilingual. His extensive property was sold some years ago.”

He probably kissed the Blarney Stone Rob - and more than once!!

I just love the allusion to "General" rank in his biography.

Rory