Mess Room Boy William Alfred Murphy

Son of William Patrick Murphy and Alice Maude Foulkes of Halifax, Nova Scotia. Prior to the First World War, William served with the Composite Battalion, Company B, Halifax, regimental number 488393. He enlisted on 20 December 1916 and transferred to the Royal Canadian Regiment. On 30 October 1917, he suffered multiple contusions in battle. On 15 November 1917, he suffered from trench sickness. On 23 March 1918, he was gassed and hospitalized. On 19 April 1918, he deserted a first time and on 12 August 1918, a second time. He was discharged at Saint John, New Brunswick, on 8 January 1920. On 9 August 1942, at 3:24 am, away from convoy E-7, she was torpedoed by U-155 around 450 miles (724 km) west of Trinidad, in the Caribbean Sea. She sank in flames after breaking in two, in position 07°22'N/54°08'W. The captain, 33 crew members and 6 gunners lost their lives. Eight sailors were rescued by a US Army transport and landed in Paramaribo, Suriname.