Husband of Mrs G. Lynch of Third Avenue, Whangarei. Son of Mr Peter and Lydia Lynch of 70 Sarsfield Street, Herne Bay, Auckland.

He was born at Waihi and educated at Waihi High School and Sacred Heart College. In Whangarei he was associated with the firm of D. Mcl. Wallace.

He took a keen interest in all sports, playing rugby for Hora Hora Seniors and being a prominent member of the Whangarei Miniature Rifle Club.

His interest in the Army dated back to school days, and continued after leaving school as a member of the Territorials.

He entered camp with an Auckand Infantry unit of the first echelon and served in Greece and Crete. He left New Zealand as a captain and his MC was won in Crete.

Lt-Col R. J. Lynch, MC; born Waihi, 24 Oct 1909; sales manager; CO 18 Bn 29 Jun-15 Jul 1942; wounded and p.w. 15 Jul 1942; died of wounds while p.w. 26 Sep 1942. (Source: Cody, J.F. 21 Battalion. p.176.)

'Almost irreplaceable was the loss of senior officers. Commanding officer, adjutant, two company commanders, all of them original 18 Battalion officers, had gone. Lieutenant-Colonel Lynch in particular was a grievous loss, and there was great regret in the battalion when, a few months later, word came through that he had died from his wounds.
Had he survived, Ray Lynch might well have been a first-rate battalion commander. He was a front-line soldier with an unusually keen tactical brain, impatient of base camp restrictions, efficient, methodical, yet easy and approachable in his manner. In Greece and Crete he led C Company magnificently; his MC for Crete was the only fighting decoration won by an 18 Battalion officer for either campaign. That his last battle and his only major action in command of 18 Battalion should have ended so inglonously was just another of the tragedies of Ruweisat.' (Source: Dawson, W.D. 18 Battalion and Armoured Regiment. p. 294) AWMM