Assistant Governor Steven Costello joined with President Margaret Francey, President Elect Patrick Cregg and Bangor Rotarians to celebrate Morrell Murphy’s 100th Birthday
(Many thanks to David Sloan for providing the editorial, and images from PP Bill Aiken and Barbara Boyle)
Members of Bangor Rotary Club have had the unique opportunity to celebrate the 100th birthday of one of its members, Morrell Murphy.
World War Two Royal Navy Veteran Morrell Murphy was made an honorary member of the Club in recognition of the part he played in its annual Remembrance Services for many years. Each time he was called upon to speak the Words of Remembrance and recite the Kohima Epitaph
The Club President Margaret Francey was joined by a group of Rotarians and their wives as well as the Assistant District Governor of Rotary in Ireland, Steven Costello on Saturday morning at Bangor Golf Club for a surprise party for Morrell.
But being the war veteran that he is he took the whole thing in his stride.
Born in Lisburn, Morrell had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy during the war years. After leaving school aged 15 he joined up and was serving on the HMS Exeter when it was sent to the South Atlantic. along with HMS Ajax and Achilles to hunt down the German battleship the Admiral Graf Spee which had been sinking merchant vessels.
The engagement has gone down in history as the Battle of the River Plate and was immortalised in the 1950s film of the same name.
Despite suffering heavy damage and many casualties the Exeter is believed to have fired the torpedo that put the Spee out of action resulting in its Captain having to scuttle the ship.
Morrell also served on destroyers in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean and was involved in supporting the British and American landings in Sicily, Anzio and Messina.
On the 26th December 1944 he was on board the HMS Cappelle in the English Channel when it was sunk by a German U-boat off the coast of Cherbourg.
His family in Belfast received a telegram from the Admiralty informing them that he was lost at sea, presumed dead but some days later Morrell walked though their door much to the surprise and relief of his parents.
He had spent some time in the icy water but was picked up by a US patrol boat and taken to hospital in France to recover.
After the war he joined the Civil Service and held a number of senior positions until his retirement.
Presenting Morrell with a framed photograph and a card signed by all the members of the Club, the President Margaret Francey described him as a truly remarkable man who had lived a very full life and since joining the Club had rarely missed a meeting.
She said he was a man skilled in many areas and could turn his hand to a full range of building, plumbing and electrical tasks but he was best known for his ‘green fingers’ and the wonderful array of flowers and shrubs around his home that delighted passers-by.
Morrell has lived on his own since his wife died in 2014 and President Margaret said he was highly respected and loved by all his colleagues in the Rotary Club.
