Commanding Officer - HMNZS RESOLUTION A14
Lieutenant Commander Matt Wray, RNZN
Lieutenant Commander Matt Wray enlisted in the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) as an Ordinary Seaman (uncategorised) in September 1984, and subsequently specialised in the Hydrographic Trade. He spent the next 12 years at sea, punctuated by promotional and professional courses, on a number of HMNZ Ship’s (MONOWAI, TAKAPU, TARAPUNGA, WAIKATO, CANTERBURY [F421] and a period on HMAS MERMAID with the ADF). In 1997 he commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant and after Junior Officer Common Training, posted to HMNZS WELLINGTON (F69) where he qualified as an Officer of the Day and Officer of the Watch.
In 1999 he then returned to Hydrography and the Hydrographic Survey Force. He attended the Royal Navy Long Hydrographic Survey Course (2001-2002) and on completion posted to HMNZS RESOLUTION as the Hydrographic Operations Officer and Acting Surveyor in Charge. During this time RESOLUTION was involved in Surveys in support of Land Information New Zealand’s Shipping Lane programme. After RESOLUTION, he assumed Officer-In-Charge of the Detached Hydrographic Survey Unit (for the survey of Napier Harbour) and a Rapid Environmental Assessment Team for Exercise Croix Du Sud 2004 in New Caledonia. On completion of this period, he was advanced to Charge Surveyor. His next sea posting was as the Commissioning Executive Officer of HMNZS CANTERBURY (L421). After this period, he posted to Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand as the Maritime Exercise and Activity Planner. He assumed command of RES in November 2010.
Lieutenant Commander Wray’s operational experience includes Operations Wells and Fargo (1987 Fiji Coups) on HMNZS MONOWAI; six months as a United Nations Military Observer in East Timor (UNTAET, 2000); and 13 months as a Force Field Liaison Officer and Second-In-Command (including a month in command) of the NZ Contingent with the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO) (Sinai, 2004-2005). For his efforts in the MFO, he was awarded a Director General’s (Rome) Commendation.
He and his wife Mariane (a LT CDR Psychologist in the RNZN) live in Upper Hutt and have two young children and a cat. He enjoys keeping fit, reading and full-bore target shooting.