Murray Bourchier (diplomat)

Murray Goulburn Madden Bourchier AO (28 March 1925 – 3 July 1981) was an Australian public servant and diplomat.^[1]

Murray Bourchier AO
Bourchier in 1936
Born	Murray Goulburn Madden Bourchier (1925-03-08)8 March 1925 St Kilda, Victoria, Australia
Died	3 July 1981(1981-07-03) (aged 56) Deakin, Canberra, Australia
Nationality	Australian
Alma mater	University of Melbourne (LLB)
Occupations	Public servant diplomat
Spouse	Charlotte Ray Francis ​ ​ (m. 1951)​ [1]
Father	Murray Bourchier

Life and career

Bourchier joined the Commonwealth Public Service in 1951 as a cadet in the Department of External Affairs.^[2]

In August 1971 Bourchier's appointment as Australian Ambassador to the Republic of Korea was announced.^[3] He took up his appointment as head of mission in November 1971.^[4]

From 1977 to 1980 Bourchier was Australian Ambassador to the Soviet Union.^[1] Relationships between the two countries were tense during the period.^[5] In 1979 Bourchier was medically evacuated from Moscow to London where he was diagnosed with a cerebral tumour. He stepped down from his post in August 1980.^[1]

In June 1981, Bouchier was appointed an Officer in the general division of the Order of Australia in recognition of his services as a diplomatic representative.^[6]

Bourchier died at home in Deakin, Canberra, on Friday 3 July 1981.^[2]