EULOGY- WO2 IAN MURPH 5/4/63 TO 19/5/08
On the top of the desk where Ian Murphy sat for three years in AMTDU, was a short poem which read:
"Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely
in an attractive and well-preserved body,
but rather, to skid in sideways,
champagne in one hand,
strawberries in the other,
body thoroughly used up,
totally worn out and screaming:
"woo hoo - what a ride"
While Ian seemed to prefer beer over champagne, and maybe a Thai curry to strawberries, he pretty well lived by that adage. He was into everything and lived life to the full.
Murph was also fond of saying that "old paratroopers never get old, they just grow wheels and sticks".
This may be true, but we would have all liked to see Ian get old, walking stick or not. His most untimely passing remains a shock to us all -- he was with us far too briefly.
In the short time since his passing we have been inundated with expressions of condolence from far and wide. Murph had many friends. They extended through generations of the air despatch trade, his corps, the Army, Air force, the United States, contractors, his rugby club and pretty much anyone who knew him. This says more about Murph than anything I can say today.
Ian joined the Regular Army in 1981 just prior to turning 18. Since then almost all of his postings over his 27 years of service feature air despatch somewhere in the title. He was clearly passionate about the air despatch trade and parachuting and little wonder -- he was exceptionally good at both.
Ian was clearly a trade expert. His level of knowledge was huge and application of skill considerable. Anyone who knew Ian soon got to know that he lived and breathed air despatch - you got to know this because he told you within the first five minutes -- he loved it and those he worked with.
Ian was known for never taking a backwards step when something didn't meet his standard and he didn't care who he offended to get something right. Ian was also one of the prominent mentors in the trade and the skill that currently resides in many of our young and not so young soldiers is in no small way due to WO2 Murphy the instructor.
Murph also loved his parachuting and of some note, he was only the second ever air dispatcher to become a parachute jump instructor completing well over 150 descents. Significantly, his name features on the 100 plus boards for both jumps and air despatch sorties. While we all know he was often a bit of a lad, Murph was always the consummate professional when parachutes, rigging loads or anything involving safety were concerned.
Though not always a "touchy feely" sort of bloke, Murph was also willing to listen and give his support to those who needed it most -- both in and out of work hours.
Ian travelled overseas many times in the course of his career, training in the US and instructing in Malaysia. He retrieved World War 2 relics in PNG, and deployed on operations in East Timor and the Solomon Islands in 1999 and 2004 respectively.
In light of his standing within his profession, we had every expectation that Ian would soon be promoted to the pinnacle rank within his trade of warrant officer class one.
It must be said though, that Murph's professional skills were not limited to things that are pushed or jump out the back of aircraft.
With an audacity that only someone like him could get away with, Murph also managed to become a diving instructor as well (as in underwater diving) -- rare skills indeed for an air dispatcher. I understand that he wasted little time in utilising these newly acquired skills, diving off Balmoral beach to retrieve lost boat anchors - subsequently sold back to the yacht club to fund the end of course function. This was typical Murph.
Ian's work environment also extended a great deal wider than Army and he spent much of his time working with the Air Force, with aircraft crews, ground staff and fellow instructors. Ian may well have referred to the RAAF as "blue jobs", but it's clear that some of his mates wore a blue suit and he was as proud of those ties as he was of any.
Ian was with my headquarters in Pitt Street for only five months, yet we all got to know him quickly such was his, at times
gregarious, nature. Ian was out of his beloved trade but this didn't seem to matter. Typically, he got stuck straight in to iswork as an air contracts manager, wheeling and dealing many thousands of dollar s worth of aircraft with great skill -- Ian's
ractical, confident approach to his work was always obvious and he made a great contribution.
Of equal importance, Murph provided a balance on the headquarters -- always quick with a joke (even if not always funny),
quick with a story (even if many were about air dispatch and parachuting). He was also quick with an opinion and much to
my amusement he was also pleased to educate not only our Air Force contingent, but also Navy, public servants and
contractors on Murphy's Law.
Either despite or because of these things (depending on your outlook), Ian was difficult not to like. He was big in stature, big in character and larger than life. -- "A giant of an Aussie" as one of his US buddies called him.
Warrant officer Ian Murphy was a senior soldier who epitomised many of the things we aspire to in the Australian Defence Force. He was professional in what he did, he could adapt to what ever task he was assigned, he was great team member, he liked a laugh. He both had character and was a character.
I think every team needs someone like Murph and his loss leaves a gap that cannot be replaced -- in every unit he has served, his booming voice, his skills and his stories are already missed.
Of course,while I've concentrated on career aspects, Ian's life was certainly not limited to the military and one of Ian's principal interests included rugby. Ian was a keen player, coach and manager listing achievements with his local Hawkesbury Valley Rugby Union Club and elsewhere. For example, he took great pride in coaching 176 in the crushing victory against 26 Tpt Sqn in their inaugural grudge match, and managing the ad hoc Australian team in the one-off Solomon Islands ANZAC test during his deployment there.
Most importantly, Ian loved his family and he was tremendously proud of them -- this was obvious whenever he mentioned them and he mentioned them often.
At this difficult time, we express our most sincere condolences and support to Ian's wife Linda, his son Steve and daughter Aleasha and the rest of his extended family and friends.
Even though I have only met you in these recent sad days, it's very clear why Ian thought so much of you all.
So how do I sum up Ian Murphy? This is a difficult task - Ian was a great many things to a whole lot of people: He was a passionate professional, a mentor to others, a great team member, a story teller and more than a bit of a larrikin.
He was the quintessential air dispatcher, parachutist, rugby player, coach, fisherman, home-brewer and home chef. He was a husband and a father and loved his family above all else.
Ian was a good soldier, he was a good mate and he was a big, friendly, generous, good-natured, knock-about bloke.
We will all miss him and we will not forget him.
Rest in peace Murph.
(Printed with approval from Linda Murphy)