Andrew James MURRAY

New South Wales Police Force

Regd. # ?

Rank: Constable 1st Class

Stations: ?, Tabulam – Death

Service: From 20 July 1981 to 23 March 1989 = 7+ years Service

Awards: Commissioners Valour Award ( posthumously )

No find on It’s An Honour

Born: ? ? 1962

Died on: Thursday 23 March 1989

Age: 26

Cause: Drowned during an Off Duty rescue attempt

Event location: Tallows Beach, Byron Bay, NSW

Funeral date: ?

Funeral location: ?

Buried at: St Finbarr’s Catholic Church, Byron Bay, NSW

Memorial at: ?

[alert_green]ANDREW IS mentioned on the Police Wall of Remembrance[/alert_green]

[divider_dotted]

Funeral location: ?

[divider_dotted]

FURTHER INFORMATION IS NEEDED ABOUT THIS PERSON, THEIR LIFE, THEIR CAREER AND THEIR DEATH.

PLEASE SEND PHOTOS AND INFORMATION TO Cal

[divider_dotted]

May they forever Rest In Peace

[divider_dotted]

On 23 March, 1989 Constable Murray and his family were holidaying at Byron Bay. About 3.05pm on that day they were at Tallows Beach when the constable saw a young woman in distress in the water. He then took his surf ski and paddled out through a rough, two metre swell to assist. The girl’s boyfriend at this time also entered the water and managed to help her to safety. Constable Murray had at this time unfortunately been tipped off his surf ski and was seen with an arm raised, indicating that he was having difficulties. He was again spotted a short time later floating about fifty metres out, on the surface. Despite an extensive search the constable was not seen again. It is thought that he may have been struck on the head by the ski when tipped off it, or perhaps injured when dumped in the heavy seas.

The constable was born in 1962 and joined the New South Wales Police Force on 20 July, 1981. At the time of his death he was stationed at Tabulam.

[divider_dotted]

Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 – 1995), Sunday 26 March 1989, page 2

Police scale down sea search

SYDNEY: Police and rescue workers scaled down the search yesterday for Andrew James Murray, 26, a young police man who disappeared in rough surf on Thursday at Byron Bay, on the Far North Coast.

Off-duty Constable Murray, of Tabulam police station, was swept out to sea after going to the rescue of a swimmer in trouble about 3pm.

Constable Murray paddled over to the distressed swimmer but was knocked off his surf ski by a wave.

He was caught in a strong rip and dragged out to sea.

The swimmer managed to struggle back to shore and alerted emergency services.

A police spokeswoman said today that there was little hope of finding the constable alive and the search was being scaled down.

http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/rendition/nla.news-article120918741.txt

[divider_dotted]