Murray, Thomas

Thomas (Tom) Beeby Murray was born in Waitara on 17 April 1924, the son of Uritī butcher William Michael and Gwendolyn Annie (nee Weston) Murray and brother to Joy Murray

He was educated at Nelson College before enlisting with the RNZAF in January 1943. He received his training in Rotorua, Ohakea, where he was awarded his air gunner badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. In November of that year he was farewelled at several events in Uruti before being posted to No 2 Squadron at Guadalcanal.

Tom was a member of the crew of a Ventura aircraft which crashed into the sea during a flight from Guadalcanal to Espiritu Santos on 17 January 1944. All the crew, including Tom, were classified as missing and later presumed to have died. He was 19-years-old when he died and is honoured on the Bourail Memorial, Bourail New Zealand War Cemetery, New Caledonia.