James Arthur Murphy

Members of the Murphy family of North East Margaree, 1923. James Arthur (pictured at far left) was raised on the family farm in rural Inverness County. He had only a tenth-grade education when the local school closed, and he went to work as a coal miner. But his family wanted more for him, and through his mother’s connections—she was a cousin of the Reverend Drs. Moses Coady and James J. Tompkins—he was admitted to St. Francis Xavier University (St. FX) to complete high school. He then went on to the university level and was in his first year when the war broke out in 1914. (Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University, Reference number: MG 20.25 James Arthur Murphy fonds)

James Arthur Murphy, ca. 1915. Because so many of its senior cadets enlisted in 1914-15, the Royal Military College (RMC) in Kingston, Ontario invited Canadian universities to nominate students for transfer to train as officers in the army. St. FX could nominate one candidate, and James was nominated by his mother’s cousin, Reverend J.J. Tompkins, who was originally from Margaree and then Vice-President of St. FX. James attended RMC in 1915-16, Cadet #1105, and was noted to have done exceedingly well in his studies. (Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University, Reference number: 93-213-24187)

Lieutenant James Arthur Murphy, ca. 1916. In March 1916, James travelled from Kingston to nearby Cornwall, Ontario, where he joined the 59th Battalion as a lieutenant and was placed in command of No. 14 Platoon, D Company. The 59th Battalion was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel H.J. Dawson, a long-time faculty member of the Royal Military College. It recruited in Eastern Ontario and Hull, Quebec, and sailed for England from Halifax in April 1916 on the SS Olympic. He was later transferred to the 46th Battalion in October 1916. (Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University, Reference number: MG 20.25 James Arthur Murphy fonds)

James A. Murphy to father James M. Murphy, France, October 23, 1916. James came from a rural farming community in Cape Breton. The family was Roman Catholic and deeply religious. His correspondence is full of assurances to his mother that he attended mass regularly when he could, went to confession, and even for a time assisted the chaplain with services. This clearly strengthened him while at war, because he accepted the Catholic philosophy that life on earth is only a brief preparation for salvation. His letters frequently display both confidence that he would survive and acceptance of the fact that if he did not, it was God’s will. It seems his parents were not among those Canadians who readily sent their son off to war, and he constantly tried to reassure them that he would survive and return to help with work on the farm. Although he survived the war, he did not in fact return to the farm, and instead forged a new life for himself, initially in Sydney, then in the United States. (Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University, Reference number: MG 20.25 James Arthur Murphy fonds)

A Night Raid. As officer in charge of the 46th Battalion’s “C” Company, James helped plan and lead a trench raid at Souchez, a village nearly three kilometres northwest of Vimy Ridge, which took place in the early hours of February 13th, 1917. The purpose of the raid was to destroy enemy tunnels that the Germans had built as part of the extended defences at Vimy Ridge, and was part of the lead-up to the Battle of Vimy Ridge in April, 1917. Thirty-one Canadians were killed in the raid, and many more were injured, including James, who sustained a compound fracture in his left arm. He was awarded the Military Cross for his “conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty,” but it was the end of his war. After five months in hospitals in France and England, James was repatriated to Canada in July 1917 for further treatment in military hospitals. (Sketch by H.J. Mowat, from the Beaverbrook Collection of War Art, Canadian War Museum, CWM19710261-0431)

Night letter addressed to James M. Murphy, North East Margaree, February 16, 1917. James’s parents received notification that their son had been wounded in action three days after the trench raid at Souchez. Several weeks would pass before they received further word about his status. (Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University, Reference number: MG 20.25 James Arthur Murphy fonds)

James A. Murphy to father James M. Murphy, England, May 18, 1917. James’s war proved to be a brief one, consisting of about fourth months in the field, served slightly west of Vimy Ridge. It is significant but not surprising that, having complained in 1916 about not getting into action, and having proved himself when he got there, he was glad to be out of it. In May 1917, he told his father that his arm was healing “slowly” but “I am not rushing it any as France may be alright but if anyone says that they want to go back have their head examined at once.” (Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University, Reference number: MG 20.25 James Arthur Murphy fonds)

Moxham Military Convalescent Hospital, Sydney, ca. 1918. Following his return to Canada, James continued to recuperate from his injury, and remained under the CEF’s medical care until he was discharged in 1919. In 1918-1919, he spent five months at the Moxham Convalescent Hospital in Sydney, where he met Captain Henry Verner (85th Battalion) of Louisbourg. The two discussed postwar career options, and along with two other men, established the Cape Breton Engineering Works, later renamed Moore & Murphy Marine, Mechanical and Structural Engineering in Sydney in 1918. Though the business was initially successful, economic depression in the region forced its closure by the early 1920s. (Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University, Reference number: 87-960-17490)

Canadian Expeditionary Force Death Certificate for Private Denny Leo Murphy, issued 1919. James was not the only member of his family to volunteer for service overseas. His older brother Dennis (Denny Leo), who had left Cape Breton before the war, was working as a coal miner in Kelfield, Saskatchewan, when he enlisted in Saskatoon in June 1917. He served in the 1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, but was only in the field in France a little over six months when he was killed on October 3, 1918 during the fighting at Cambrai. He is buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery, near Arras. (Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University, Reference number: MG 20.25 James Arthur Murphy fonds)

Cutting wood at the Murphy farm in North East Margaree, no date. James’s younger brother Martin was living at home and working on the family farm when he was conscripted in June 1918. Despite James's hopes that his brother would be spared from going to war, he was not exempted, and was sent to Camp Aldershot for basic training. Fortunately for Martin, the war ended before he could be sent overseas, and he was demobilized at Halifax in January 1919. Two other brothers, Ranald and Bernard, were not involved in the war. (Beaton Institute, Cape Breton University, Reference number: MG 20.25 James Arthur Murphy fonds)