Reginald Raymond Murr
Reginald Raymond Murr

In Memory of

Flying Officer

Reginald Raymond Murr

405261 No. 625 Squadron
who died age 38
on 07 October 1947

Son of Christoph Murr and Amelia Murr;
Husband of Mary Murr,
of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

Remembered with honour
Drayton & Toowoomba Cemetery, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia

Reginald Raymond Murr

Flying Officer Reginald Raymond Murr, the son of Christoph Murr and Amelia Murr (nee Seaniger), was born at Toowoomba in Queensland on 17th February 1909.  Flying Officer Reginald Raymond Murr was enlisted into the Royal Australian Air Force Reserve after swearing an oath/affirmation at Toowoomba on 5th September 1940.  He had previously served for four years in the militia with the 25th Infantry Battalion.  At the time of his enrolment he was single and employed as a Clerk (Survey Draftsman) at the Toowoomba Railway General Manager’s Office, and residing at 6 Fogarty Street in Toowoomba.  He gave his next of kin as his mother, Mrs A. Murr, residing at 6 Fogarty Street in Toowoomba.  He married and his next of kin was changed to that of his wife, Mrs M. Murr, Empire Hotel, Toowoomba on 26 July 1943 whilst serving with 66 Squadron.

Flying Officer Reginald Murr was enlisted into the Citizen Air Force of the R.A.A.F. at No. 3 Recruiting Centre in Brisbane on 1st March 1941 after giving an undertaking that he would serve for the duration of the war and an additional twelve months.  His physical description at the time of his enlistment was that he was 5 feet 8 inches in height and weighed 143 pounds.  He had a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair.  He stated that he was of the Methodist religion.  He was allotted the service number of 405261.  He joined No. 1 Initial Training School at Somers in Victoria on 3rd March 1941 where he was trained in the basics of Air Force life.  He joined No. 2 Embarkation Depot at Bradfield Park in Sydney on 24th May 1941 to prepare for overseas training on attachment to the Royal Canadian Air Force.  He embarked by sea transport from Sydney in Australia on 13th June 1941 and he disembarked from the ship at Vancouver in Canada on 3rd July 1941.  After arriving in Canada he was hospitalised during the period 23rd August until 1st September 1941.

Flying Officer Reginald Murr joined No. 2 Air Observer School at Edmonton in Alberta.  He then proceeded to No. 2 Bombing and Gunnery School at Mossbank in Saskatchewan on 26th September 1941.  He joined No. 1 Air Navigation School at Rivers in Manitoba on 8th November 1941.  At the completion of his Observer/Navigator training he was promoted to the rank of Temporary Sergeant and awarded the Air Observer Qualification Badge.  He joined No. 1 (Y) Depot at Halifax in Nova Scotia on 9th December 1941 to prepare for his return to Australia.  (Normally after completing their training in Canada, aircrew would then be posted to England on attachment to the Royal Air Force.  He embarked for Australia on 17th May 1942 and he disembarked at Melbourne on 4th June 1942 where he joined No. 1 Embarkation Depot at Ascot Vale in Victoria on 4th June 1942.  On 20th June 1942 he was transferred to No. 2 Embarkation Depot at Bradfield Park in New South Wales.  He was promoted to the rank of Temporary Flight Sergeant on 1st July 1942.  He then served at Air Force Headquarters where he was promoted to the rank of Temporary Warrant Officer on 1st April 1943.   He joined No. 71 Squadron at Lowood in Queensland on 20th May 1943.  No. 71 Squadron operated Anson aircraft and carried out anti-submarine and convoy escort patrols.  He was transferred to No. 66 Squadron at Bundaberg in Queensland on 25th May 1943.  No. 66 Squadron also operated Anson aircraft on anti-submarine and convoy escort patrols.  He joined No. 3 Embarkation Depot at Sandgate in Queensland on 16th October 1943 and he joined No. 2 Embarkation Depot at Bradfield Park in Sydney on 20th November 1943.

Flying Officer Reginald Murr embarked by sea transport for overseas training on attachment to the Royal Air Force on 12th December 1943 and he disembarked from the ship in England on 26th January 1944.  On the following day he joined No. 11 Personnel Despatch and Reception Centre at Bournemouth.  He joined No. 2 Advanced Flying Unit (Observer) at Royal Air Force Station Willom in Cumbria on 7th March 1944.  He was granted the commissioned rank of Pilot Officer on 11th April 1944 when he joined No. 27 Operational Training Unit at Royal Air Force Station Lichfield on 11th April 1944 where training of night bomber crews was conducted using Vickers Wellington aircraft.  He joined 11 Base at Lindholme for conversion training on Halifax aircraft with No. 1656 Heavy Conversion Unit on 6th July 1944.  He was promoted to the rank of Flying Officer on 27th August 1944.  He joined No. 625 Squadron at Royal Air Force Station Kelstern for operational duties on 8th September 1944.  No. 625 Squadron was equipped with Avro Lancaster aircraft and mainly carried out night raids against Germany.

Flying Officer Reginald Murr was admitted to hospital at Rauceby during the period 6th November until 5th December 1944.  He joined No. 11 Personnel Despatch and Reception Centre on 1st January 1945 pending repatriation back to Australia on medical grounds.  He disembarked at Sydney in New South Wales on 22nd February 1945 and joined No. 2 Embarkation Depot at Bradfield Park and then went to No. 3 Personnel Depot at Sandgate in Queensland on 31st March 1945.  His appointment as an officer in the Royal Australian Air Force was terminated on 17th September 1945 and he was discharged on that date.  Reginald Murr died on 7th October 1947.  The Deputy Commissioner of the Repatriation Commission in Brisbane certified that his death was attributable to his war service.  His death was subsequently recognized by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission as a World War 2 casualty.  At the time of his death his wife was living at 18 Alford Street in Toowoomba and his mother was living in Toowoomba (His father had deceased in 1934).  He is buried in the Drayton & Toowoomba General Cemetery.  His name should be included on the Toowoomba Mothers’ Memorial.

For his service during World War 2 he had entitlement to the 1939/1945 Star, the France and Germany Star, the Pacific Star, the Defence Medal and the Australian Service Medal 1939/1945.  His name is commemorated locally on the Toowoomba Grammar World War 2 Honour Board.

Toowoomba Grammar School archive records show that he enrolled as a student on 1st January 1922  and left the school on 31st December 1923.

Portrait of Flying Officer Reginald Raymond Murr, provided by Wendy Holt.

 

External Links

CWGC

NAA Service Record


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