World War Two sailor feared dead in torpedo attack turns 100

A Royal Navy sailor who was reported dead during World War Two has celebrated his 100th birthday.

Morrell Murphy, from Lisburn, was on board HMS Capel when it was torpedoed by a German submarine in 1944.

Four days after the attack his family was informed that Mr Murphy had been killed.

The family even received a letter of sympathy from King George VI but soon afterwards Morrell turned up fit and well at the family home.

Morrell joined the Royal Navy aged 19

He is now living in County Down and his granddaughter Jennifer organised a party to mark his 100th birthday.

"It's hard to believe that I'm now 100," he told BBC News NI.

"Hard to believe that I've survived all these years but I still enjoy life."

Morrell joined the Royal Navy on St Patrick's Day 1942, aged 19, as World War Two was raging.

In December 1944 he survived a German attack in the English Channel which killed more than 70 of his fellow crew members on HMS Capel.

The card from King Charles and Camilla, the Queen Consort, has pride of place on Morrell's mantlepiece

He was saved by the American navy and taken to France to recover.

It meant the British authorities did not realise he was still alive.

'Tears of joy'

When he arrived unannounced at his parents' home the following month there was disbelief.

"There were tears of joy when they opened the door and found out it was me," he said.

"I remember my sister running over to a telephone kiosk to tell my cousins and my uncle and aunt that I was alright."

Morrell's family received a letter from the King four days after the attack

For many years he did not like to talk about the torpedo attack on HMS Capel but he recently went into detail about it on the Royal Navy website.

"I was blasted clear of the deck with my clothes ripped to pieces and my boots blown off," he said.

"When I hit the sea and came to my senses I managed to swim to a life raft and climb aboard to join another six or seven survivors.

"After a long two hours I was picked up by an American motor torpedo boat and taken to Cherbourg Harbour and then on to the American field hospital about three miles away.

"Nobody registered my name, rank or ship. After a cursory examination for hypothermia and some food I was discharged the next morning.

Morrell returned to the navy after the attack and was in service until the end of the war

"No fresh clothes were offered and I walked barefoot back to the harbour wearing an oil-stained jersey.

"Unknown to me a priority telegram dated 30 December 1944 had been sent to my mother in Lisburn but was opened by my father.

"It read: 'Deeply regret to inform you that your son H M Murphy has been reported missing presumed killed on war service.'"

In spite of his near-death experience Morrell returned to the navy until the end of the war.

He then had a career in the civil service before his retirement.

On his 100th birthday he received a card from King Charles III, congratulating him on reaching the milestone.