Francis Money Graham Murphy was the son of a clergyman and was educated at Cambridge before joining Marconi's in Chelmsford by 1932. By 1940 he was Assistant Technical Manager for the company. In September that year he was killed when the ship he was on was torpedoed in the north Atlantic. His home was in Links Drive, Chelmsford.

Francis was born in Walthamstow in 1903, the younger son of the clergyman Francis Edward Murphy (1863-1951) and Florence Helen Murphy (nee Graham) (1869-1953). Francis' mother and her parents were all born in India.

Francis' parents had married in north London in 1897 and had produced two elder siblings, Robert Archibald Graham Murphy (1898-1977) and Helen Frances Graham Murphy (born in 1899).

In 1911 the census found 8 year-old Francis living with his parents, two siblings and four servants in a 15 roomed house at 5 Princes Square in Bayswater, London. At the time his father was a clerk in holy orders.

Francis was educated at the University of Cambridge and by 1932 was working for Marconi's in Chelmsford. In 1932 and 1935 he was living at Orchard Lodge, New London Road in Chelmsford.

By 1940 Francis had progressed to become Assistant Technical Manager for Marconi's and had moved to New Lodge in Links Drive, Chelmsford.

His brother, who had served in the First World War with the Gordon Highlanders, served in the army in the Second World War and reached the rank of temporary Lieutenant Colonel.

Francis Money Graham MURPHY, Civilian

Killed when City of Benares was torpedoed in the Atlantic Ocean. Aged 37

In September 1940 Francis boarded the 11,081 ton steamship City of Benares at Liverpool for passage to Canada as part of convoy OB-120. He was one of 407 on board.

In the early hours of 18th September 1940 City of Benares was struck by a torpedo fired by German submarine U-48 600 miles from England (56.48N/21.15W). The vessel sank in 30 minutes. The sinking claimed over 250 lives including dozens children who were being evacuated to north America under a Government sponsored scheme. The sinking led to the cancellation of the evacuation programme. 37 year-old Francis was among those killed.

Francis left an estate valued at £4,844 12s 9d, shared between his brother and sister.

At the time of his death Francis' father was the Rural Dean of Bath.

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