Bernard Dunphy was the son of Stephen Dunphy, a prominent businessman in Llandudno. Following his period of training on HMS Conway Merchant Navy Cadet School at Rock Ferry, Merseyside, Bernard embarked on a career at sea. He was killed in March 1915 when the auxiliary cruiser 'Byan' was torpedoed by a German submarine while on patrol duty in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland.