Date of Birth: 5th of November 1920, at Feilding
Personal Details: Murray was the son of Charles Marton Lind and May Charlotte Lind (nee Gibbs). He lived at Rongotea, Manawatu, before the war. Murray met an English WAAF Joan Woodhams whilst both were stationed at No. 5 AFU, RAF Condover. Murray gained special permission to return from the Continent to Solihull in July 1945 so the two could be married.

In 1950 Murray and Joan moved to Cambridge, where they bought the popular Triangle Tearooms, on the corner of Victoria and Empire Streets. Whilst in Cambridge they lived in Anzac Street, Then Bryce Street and finally Duke Street before they sold the tearooms and moved away from town in 1959. At that time Murray joined the Post Office and was posted to Paeroa. He moved again to Tauranga with the Post Office in 1972, and he retired in Tauranga in 1980. Murray and Joan remained in Taurangatill their deaths.

Whilst living in Cambridge from 1950-59, Murray and Joan Lind were both heavily involved with St John Ambulance service, both being ambulance drivers.

Service Details: In January and February 1945 Murray was with No. 222 (Natal) Squadron, gaining a rating on Hawker Tempest fighters.

He then transferred to No. 485 (NZ) Squadron, at Predannack, Cornwall, in March 1945. At Predannack he did a rating on Hawker Typhoons and then returned to flying Supermarine Spitfires with the squadron.

His personal aircraft was low-back Spitfire Mk XVIe TB675, which Murray personalised with the addition of a silver fern in a black shield (an emblem used on several No. 485 (NZ) Squadron Spitfires which was copied from the tin of Silver Fern tobacco, a kiwi brand popular with the New Zealand pilots at the time). Murray also added the name 'Rongotea' to his aircraft, which was the small farming district near Ohakea that he came from. Murray's Spitfire has been depicted on the Mk XVIe Spitfire TE288 which is in the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.

Date of Death : 7th of March 1994, at Tauranga, aged 73
Buried: The RSA Section of Pyes Pa Cemetery, Tauranga

Connection with Cambridge: Murray lived in Cambridge from the 1950's onwards.

Thanks To: Murray's son Alan Lind for kindly supplying information about his parents, and the following photos:

 

Above: Murray with his No. 485 (NZ) Squadron Supermarine Spitifre Mk XVIe
TB675 OU-V "Rongotea"

Spitifre Mk XVIe TB675 OU-V "Rongotea"

Murray in his Spitifre Mk XVIe TB675 OU-V "Rongotea"