This is a really great story from Bill.  
Shot down over Poland in 1943, Warrant Officer Frank Murphy spent the next two years as a POW. Then with the 
collapse of the German Forces in 1945, he was one of the many POW's
 that the Germans forced to follow its retreating army, in the front of 
the Russian onslaught, a forced march of 800 miles and lasted from January and April 1945. This was through a one of the most bitterly cold 
winters seen for many years. It was a forced march often with little or 
no rations.
But if there was one distinction that held pride 
of place with Frank held it was his membership of the ‘Caterpillar Club’ whose distinctive badge he earned after he bailed out
in 1943.
The success of this search owes much to the team 
at Australian Genealogical Surname who really stepped up and whose 
efforts saw his medals returned to his family.
At the request of the family the research involved has been deleted.
The returned medal tally is now 2181.



 
 
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