Sidney Joseph Murphy

Sidney Joseph Murphy – The Last 1919 Burial at Danygraig

South Wales Daily Post

The South Wales Daily Post reported in May 1918 that Mrs. Murphy, of 38 Brynmelyn Street, had received the news that her son Daniel, a prisoner of war in Germany, was only slightly wounded. The article also noted that her other sons, Thomas George and Sidney Joseph, were serving with the Royal Navy.

Sidney died on 30^th November 1919. His was the last military burial at Danygraig Cemetery in 1919, though the First World War’s shadow continued into the 1920s.

Early Life

Sidney was born in 1892, the son of Daniel Murphy and Catherine Hughes, who married in 1883.

1901 Census

At the time of the 1901 Census, the Murphy family was living at 30 Brynmelyn Street. Daniel, 44, was employed as a General Labourer, while Catherine was 37. Their children were Thomas (17, General Labourer), Daniel (15), Dennis (10), Sidney (8), Ellen (7), and Alfred (3). Also, present was Daniel’s brother, Patrick Murphy (46, General Labourer).

1911 Census

By the 1911 Census, the family had moved to 38 Brynmelyn Street. Daniel, then 55, was still working as a labourer, and Catherine was 48. The children present were Thomas (27), Daniel (25), Dennis (21), Sidney Joseph (19, Labourer), Ellen (17), Alfred (13), Annie (10), and Mary (7). Patrick Murphy, now 57, was again listed as a resident.

Service Records

Sidney enlisted in July 1915 for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. He joined the Hood Battalion in October that year. His war service was turbulent and repeatedly interrupted by illness or injury:

• Dec 1915 – Nov 1916: Hospitalised with pyrexia of unknown origin.
• Nov 1916 – Feb 1917: Wounded by a gunshot to the left leg; invalided home.
• July 1917: Returned to the BEF, rejoined the Hood Battalion.
• Sept – Dec 1917: Suffered shellshock; invalided home again.
• Feb – Mar 1918: Gassed in action, returned to the UK.
• Oct 1918: Sent back to the BEF, rejoining the Hood Battalion.
• Feb 1919: Demobilised.

Despite these hardships, Sidney kept returning to duty whenever his health allowed.

His Brothers in Service

Sidney’s brother Thomas George Murphy also served with the Royal Navy, working primarily in coastal support and logistics.

His brother Daniel Murphy was captured in France and became a prisoner of war in Germany. Swansea newspapers reported his capture in 1918. Though slightly wounded, he survived captivity and returned home.

Together, the Murphy brothers’ experiences—combat at sea, imprisonment on land, and repeated injury—reflect the varied sacrifices of Swansea families.

Burial at Danygraig

Sidney Joseph Murphy
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Sidney died at home following demobilisation on 30^th November 1919. His funeral was reported in the South Wales Daily Post. Accounts describe a solemn procession from Brynmelyn Street to Danygraig Cemetery, attended by fellow servicemen, veterans, and family. The presence of naval personnel underscored his long service with the Hood Battalion.

His was the last military burial of 1919 at Danygraig Cemetery. Yet the story did not end there: further burials continued in the early 1920s, a reminder that the war’s toll stretched well beyond the Armistice of 1918.

Legacy

Sidney Joseph Murphy’s grave holds special meaning. It marks the final military burial of 1919 at Danygraig, standing as a symbolic bookend to that year’s losses. His repeated injuries—gunshot wound, shellshock, gas exposure—reflect the relentless toll of the Great War.

His brothers Thomas and Daniel survived, but their lives were equally shaped by the conflict. Together, their service highlights the burdens carried by Swansea families during and after the war.

Sidney’s grave reminds us that the First World War did not end cleanly in November 1918. The effects lingered in illness, wounds, and delayed deaths, and Danygraig Cemetery bears testimony to this extended cost of war.