Donald Murray

Sir Donald Frederick Murray (14 June 1924 – 8 January 1998) was a British diplomat who served as ambassador to Libya from 1974 to 1976 and ambassador to Sweden from 1980 to 1984.

Early life and education

Murray was born on 14 June 1924 in London, the son of A. T. Murray and F. M. Murray née Byfield. He was educated at Colfe's School; The King's School, Canterbury; and Worcester College, Oxford where he was an exhibitioner and studied international relations.

Career

After serving during World War II with the Royal Marines (41 (RM) Commando) from 1943 to 1946, and having been severely wounded in 1945, Murray entered the Foreign Office in 1948. His first posting was to Warsaw as third secretary followed by two years at the Foreign Office. In 1953, he was promoted to second secretary and went to Vienna, and in 1956 was attached to the political office of the Middle East Forces in Cyprus. From 1958 to 1962, he served as first secretary (commercial) at Stockholm, before he went to Saigon as head of chancery. In 1964, he returned to the Foreign Office, was promoted to counsellor, and in 1966 was appointed head of South-East Asia Department. From 1969 to 1972, he served as counsellor at Tehran before he spent a year on sabbatical to the Royal College of Defence Studies. In 1980, he was appointed Ambassador to Sweden, a post he held until his retirement in 1984. A highlight of his tenure was the Queen's state visit to Sweden in 1983. and held several directorships. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) in 1983. In 1983, he was awarded the Grand Cross, Order of North Star of Sweden.