Thomas Murphy was born to John and Catherine nee Brannan in Kelty, Fife, Scotland on Armistice day 1921.

He joined the Black Watch in Dundee with his brother Michael prior to the outbreak of WW2.

He was in active service throughout the War. His brother suggested that it was not a good idea for two brothers to be in the same unit. He feared that if one was injured, the other might go to his aid and be injured or killed. Tom took the opportunity to join the 151 parachute regiment while he was serving in India. In 1943 151 became 156 and joined the 4th Parachute Brigade.

He parachuted into Gingkel Heath after taking off from Saltby airfield on 18 September 1944 as part of Operation Market Garden. He was injured on Paul Krugerstraat Oosterbeek on Sunday 24 September and was taken to Apeldoorn Barracks hospital for treatment, He escaped on 6 October 1944 with Sammy Walsh. They both took an end of a stretcher each and walked passed the guards, hiding until night time, leaving the hospital under cover of darkness.Tom was helped by the Dutch resistance and finally swam across the Rhine at Amerongen on 2/1/45.  He swam towards soldiers that he thought were Canadian. In fact they were German, He was taken POW but threatened with execution, possibly because he had  already escaped a POW prison carrying a revolver. He was thoroughly questioned but gave away nothing about the escape plan. Finally the Germans believe he was simply trying to get back to his unit. Meanwhile as he had not turned up for an earlier planned escape on 20/11/44 Pegasus 2, he was reported MIA in German hands and later as buried in Germany.

He was POW until April  1945 when he was liberated and returned home to the amazing surprise of his family.

Created with information kindly supplied by Elizabeth Moore (niece)

Further research conducted and written by Robert Hilton with information and imagery kindly donated by Stewart Campbell (grandson)

Private. Thomas Murphy of 11 Platoon, ‘C’ Company, 156 Parachute Battalion.

Thomas Murphy was born on 11 November 1920 in Kelty, Scotland, and enlisted in The Black Watch, at Cowdenbeath, on 1 August 1939. [1] and [2]

He went on to serve in Palestine, with the 2nd Bn, The Black Watch, 10 April to 30 June 1940. The battalion was then sent to Aden (1 July 1940 – 19 November 1940), then Crete (20 November 1940 – 28 June 1941), then Egypt (29 June 1941 – 8 March 1942). [1]

On 9 March 1942 he was posted to India, and he was still serving there when he volunteered for Airborne Forces and did his parachute course at Chaklala in October 1942, with the 151 Parachute Battalion.

Thomas later served in North Africa and Italy, 4 November 1942 – 10 December 1943. At this time he was serving in the Mortar Platoon, 156 Parachute Battalion.

During Operation Market Garden, he was part of 1 Platoon, ‘C’ Company, and parachuted from Dakota aircraft 633 onto D.Z. ‘Y’ at Ginkel Heath on Monday, 18 September 1944, as part of the 2nd Lift.

Thomas was wounded in the head during the battle, and was sent to the ‘Airborne Hospital’ at Apeldoorn, which he escaped from. He went into hiding and was involved in the Pegasus II escape, 17– 20 November 1944. He was unsuccessful and his account is well covered in the book ‘From Delhi to Arnhem’, by John O’Reilly (2009).

He is also mentioned by Pte. Samuel Walsh, a Bren Gunner with 11 Platoon, in his Escape & Evasion Report.

Thomas was initially declared as: ‘Known to be wounded, but PW, now PW Died & buried by German Authorities 20.11.44’. [1] However, he was not deceased, and as a wounded prisoner, was sent to Stalag XIB, in Falingbostel, Germany.

He was liberated by advancing British Army troops on 16 April, and returned home on 25 April 1945.

From ‘The Sunday Post. April 29, 1945.

“BACK FROM THE DEAD.

After his parents had been informed their son had been buried by the Germans, their boy is now at home in Kelty.

Paratrooper Thomas Murphy has had an adventurous eight months since he was captured at Arnhem.

The first news his parents received was that he was slightly wounded and captured. Then he was missing. Next he was missing and wounded.

He was then reported safe in Dutch hands. Official information later told he had died of wounds in a German prison camp.

A man from Doncaster gave the parents some hope when he informed them he had picked up a wireless message from Germany stating Thomas was alive and well.

But this was followed immediately afterwards by a letter from a padre that he was buried by the German authorities in November last.

All hopes seemed crushed, but they were revived again when a liberated soldier from Glencraig told Mr and Mrs Murphy that their son had been liberated by the British along with him, and would soon be home.

A telegram from Edinburgh early this week sent them hurrying there. They could discover no trace of him. Back they came disappointed once again.

On arriving home, however, they found great rejoicing in Centre Street, Kelty. A telegram had arrived from Thomas stating he was going to Edinburgh. His parents met him there on Friday and brought him safely home – and very fit.

Murphy escaped from prison, and spent months among the Germans. He and a friend pretended they were deaf and dumb. For ten days they were in a chicken coup surrounded by Nazis.

They were fed by friends in the under-ground movement.

They were recaptured when swimming across the Rhine in the hope of meeting British soldiers a few miles away.”

He transferred back to The Black Watch on 7 December 1945. [2]

NOTES:

[1] Service Records.

[2] The Parachute Regiment, Transfer & Enlistment Book 05, page 101.