november april senior engineer aviator royal_australian_air_force raaf accompanied captain trans australia flight melbourne darwin feat earned men murphy later played leading role military aircraft maintenance production veteran world war served mechanic pilot based middle_east flew squadron awarded murphy raaf strength formed rose rank temporary air commodore world war commanding raaf inspector air accidents fellow murphy retired military died age seventy early life world war murphy born november suburb melbourne engineer wife mary educated spent years apprentice having employed engineering firms murphy joined australian_army train air mechanic february risen rank sergeant volunteered serve overseas transferring murphy allocated squadron known squadron warrant officer departed melbourne aboard march bound egypt based palestine murphy initially responsible squadron aircraft maintenance achievements saw mentioned dispatches trained pilot egypt obtained temporary commission second lieutenant october flew returning squadron palestine murphy saw combat jordan operating august observer selected join colonel irregular arab army near providing air cover reconnaissance credited bringing enemy aircraft supporting lawrence troops murphy awarded reliability wars murphy temporary commission terminated war reverted rank sergeant remain army returning australia march later year took flight australia melbourne darwin accompanying pilot captain pair departed november arrived darwin december having travelled kilometres seven flying hours flew single engined radio hazardous terrain surveyed seventeen potential landing grounds journey murphy awarded recognition achievement perceived danger expedition making preparations return flight received telegram ordering arrange dismantled shipped travel southwards steamer following disbandment wartime murphy transferred successor january march joined newly established royal_australian_air_force raaf literally according papers nicknamed described immensely capable popular commissioned flying officer september year murphy married melbourne october couple sons daughter july founding pilots newly reformed squadron flight lieutenant flying unit based recently opened new_south_wales promoted flight lieutenant murphy posted wing commander later sir november following year took round australia survey flight command chief air staff wing commander later air marshal sir raised squadron leader murphy given temporary command raaf station victoria opening months subsequently took charge unit workshops end responsible specially modifying conditions enable air_force team led flight lieutenant later group captain flying officer later air marshal sir rescue explorer presumed lost journey continent murphy selected join mission investigate aircraft production overseas view setting local construction plants team determined suitable australian conditions manufacture following testing prototype designated design went production january murphy promoted wing commander november appointed commanding officer january world war retirement murphy continued play leading role aircraft maintenance production world war helped set local manufacture torpedo bomber completing tour promoted group captain appointed inspector air accidents june newly created position reported directly chief air staff murphy deputy flying officer later sir found boss murphy product old school airmen fly plane pull apart generally act occasion demanded small succeeded reducing number accidents training expanded rapidly australia participation empire air training scheme murphy led investigation canberra air disaster august mid air collision occurred following month raaf formed september efforts maintenance units victoria south australia tasmania murphy appointed commander held post end war promoted temporary air commodore july passed statutory retirement age substantive rank wing commander retired raaf number senior staff veterans world war including williams way advancement younger equally capable officers discharged air_force january murphy later elected fellow died heart disease melbourne april age seventy survived children murphy cremated
Arthur William Murphy