Morgan Joseph Murphy was born in Toronto, ON to Harold J. and Cecilia R. Murphy. He was a good student and a gifted athlete when he graduated from De La Salle College (Oaklands) with a high standing and was accepted into the Royal Military College in 1940. He was a member of the Class of ’42, the last wartime class to graduate.
Morgan enlisted in the Royal Canadian Engineers in July 1942 and was sent to Petawawa to complete his training. On arriving in the UK in April 1943, he qualified as a motorcyclist before shipping out to Italy in November. He was initially posted to the 4th Battalion, RCE in Italy and then to 4th Field Company in April 1944.
On the morning of 31 August, the Canadian Corps had crossed the Foglia River in strength to complete the second Phase of the Gothic Line battle. With all 1st Division brigades across, the Engineers were set to mine clearing tasks to support the advance. The sappers worked over flat ground cleared by the enemy to improve their fields of fire. To make the hazardous task more uncomfortable, shells from the rear burst all over the ground just as the work started. Lt Murphy was killed and his sergeant, A. J. Boudreau was badly wounded by the same bursting shell.
Lt Murphy is buried in the Montecchio War Cemetery, Italy. He was a week short of his 22nd birthday.
