Vice-Admiral Lawrence Edward Murray, CM, CMM, CD

Vice-Admiral Lawrence Edward Murray was the 25th Commander of the Canadian Navy.

Vice-Admiral Murray joined the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) as a Cadet in 1964. He studied at Carleton University. Specializing in navigation, he served:

• in HMCS Fraser
• in HMCS Cowichan
• as a navigation instructor with the Officer Training Division, Fleet School Esquimalt

In 1972, he took the Combat Control Officers Course. In 1973, he took the Maritime Advanced Navigation Course.

He was posted to the replenishment ship HMCS Provider in 1974. From 1976 to 1977, he commanded the patrol boat HMCS Chaleur, and served as Commander Training Division Two.

In January 1978, he was made Combat Officer of the destroyer HMCS Algonquin. He studied at the Canadian Forces Command and Staff College in Toronto in 1979. In 1980, he was made Executive Officer of the destroyer HMCS Athabaskan.

In 1981, he was promoted to Commander. He then served as the Senior Staff Officer Plans at Maritime Command Headquarters (MARCOMHQ) in Halifax. In 1983, he assumed command of the destroyer HMCS Iroquois.

In 1985, on promotion to Captain(N), he was appointed Deputy Chief of Staff Personnel and Training in MARCOMHQ. Then in 1987, he became Commander of the First Canadian Destroyer Squadron.

In 1988, he was promoted to Commodore and took language training. In 1989, he was named Director-General Maritime Doctrine and Operations at National Defence Headquarters (NDHQ) in Ottawa.

In 1991, he was promoted to Rear-Admiral. He assumed the duties of Associate Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy and Communications) at NDHQ. On promotion to his present rank in 1993, Vice-Admiral Murray was named Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff at NDHQ.

In 1994, he was appointed Commander Maritime Command in Halifax, Nova Scoptia. In July 1995, he returned to NDHQ as Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS). He served as VCDS and then Acting Chief of the Defence Staff until he retired in 1997.