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431091 Sergeant Thomas Beeby MURRAY.
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. W.M. Murray of URUTI, Taranaki.

Thomas Murray was born at Waitara on the 17th April 1924. He obtained his secondary education at Nelson College, reaching Matriculation standard. When applying for enlistment in aircrew, on the 24th September 1942 he was still a student at college.

Sergeant Murray was enlisted at Omaka on the 22nd January 1943 and served at Taieri until remustered to aircrew and posted to the Initial Training Wing, Rotorua on the 22nd July. He proceeded to Ohakea on the 16th September for training as an air gunner. Here he was awarded the air gunner badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant on the 29th October, before embarking for overseas on the 18th November, on posting to No. 2 Squadron at Guadalcanal.

Sergeant Murray was a member of the crew of a Ventura aircraft which crashed into the sea 5 miles from Cape Queros on a transit flight from Guadalcanal to Espiritu Santos on the 17th January 1944. All the crew, including Sergeant Murray were classified as missing. In due course, the death of Sergeant Murray was officially presumed to have occurred at sea without trace on the 17th January, 1944.

Find a Grave link with photos of Sergeant Murray: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/249417544/thomas_beeby-murray

5/2/16814 A.S.2.
No Log Book.

Mrs. G.A. Murray (M) (right aligned)
Uruti (right aligned)
NEW PLYMOUTH. (right aligned)