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R.A.F. 39559 Flt. Lt. John David William MURRAY. (surname underlined)
MOTHER (underlined) Mrs. E. Murray of Oamaru.

John Murray was born at Kurow on the 19th December 1912 and received his secondary education at Waitaki Boys' High School attaining matriculation standard. The games he played were football and tennis. After leaving school in 1928 he departed from New Zealand to enter Pangbourne Nautical College, Berkshire, England, where he remained until the end of 1931 when he proceeded to the Caledonian Wireless College, Edinburgh. During 1936 he applied for a short service commission in the Royal Air Force and on being selected was granted a short service commission for four years from the 21st December 1936 in the rank of pilot officer. He was posted on that date to the Air Services Training School, Hamble, Southampton, to commence his flying training. This was followed early in March 1937 by a short course in service procedure at the R.A.F. Depot, Uxbridge, Middlesex. On the 22nd March he was posted to No. 5 Flying Training School, Sealand, Cheshire, to continue his flying training; then on the 8th June 1937 to No. 10 Flying Training School, Tern Hill, Shropshire, for further training on service type aircraft. While here on the 4th August 1937 he was awarded his Flying Badge. At the conclusion of his course on the 27th November he was posted to No. 108 (Bomber) Squadron, Cranfield, Buckinghamshire, for squadron flying duties remaining with the squadron when it subsequently moved to Bassingbourn, Hertfordshire, and Bicester, Oxfordshire. During February 1939 he attended a short navigation course at R.A.F. Station Hamble, Southampton, at the conclusion of which he returned to No. 108 Squadron. He received his promotion to Flight Lieutenant on the 19th September 1939. On the 8th April 1940 he was posted to No. 13 Operational Training Unit, also at Bicester for training on Blenheim bomber aircraft and following this on the 28th June to No. 21 Squadron, Lossiemouth, Morayshire, Scotland, for Operational Flying.

Flight Lieutenant Murray was the Captain of a Blenheim aircraft engaged on the 9th July 1940 in an attack on Sola Aerodrome, Stavanger, Norway. After bombing the target, the formation was attacked by a strong force of enemy fighters and Flight Lieutenant Murray was seen to dive into the sea. He was classified as missing, and in due course his death was presumed to have occurred at sea without trace on the 9th July, 1940.