RNZAF Biographies of Deceased Personnel: 1939 - 1945, Qu - Sl

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-2- (centre aligned) of air operations. A post war casualty search established that he had been buried in the British Military Cemetery, Heerstrasse, Berlin.

The crew of the aircraft contained one other New Zealander, Flight Sergeant A.H. Haywood of Westport.

Find a Grave link with a photo of F/Lt. Ralph: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18404754/james_clarence-ralph/photo Auckland Museum link with photos of F/Lt. Ralph: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C31049?n=james+clarence+ralph&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0

5/2/5631 AS2. 996 hours as pilot.

Mrs. I. Ralph (M) (right aligned) 7 Eldon Road (right aligned) Mt. Eden (right aligned) AUCKLAND (right aligned & underlined)

Last edit 7 months ago by Privacylover
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416017 Flight Sergeant Ian Grant RAMSAY (surname underlined) Parents Mr. & Mrs. W. Ramsay of Nightcaps.

Ian Ramsay was born at Nightcaps on the 12th March 1912 and received his education at the Etalvale High School where he gained his Proficiency Certificate. His sports were deer stalking and pig shooting. His civilian occupation was that of a farmer, farming on his own account. In November 1940 he applied for war service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Flight Sergeant Ramsay was enlisted for aircrew training on the 2nd November 1941 at the Initial Training Wing, Levin and on the 28th December he embarked for Canada for training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after arrival in Canada, Flight Sergeant Ramsay was posted on the 1st February 1942 to No. 2 Wireless School, Calgary, Alberta and following this course, he was posted on the 14th September (redacted 1942) to No. 4 Bombing & Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario. While here on the 12th October (redacted 1942) he was awarded his wireless operator air gunner's badge and received his promotion to Sergeant. His further promotion to Flight Sergeant was granted on the 1st June 1943 while later serving in England. Meanwhile on the 24th October 1942 he had proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia to await embarkation for the United Kingdom.

Arriving in England late in October 1942, Flight Sergeant Ramsay reported to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth where he was held until posted on the 29th November to No. 1 (Observer) Advanced Flying Unit, Wigtown, Wigtownshire, Scotland. He was next posted on the 19th January 1943 to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Westcott, Buckinghamshire to crew-up and complete his training on Wellington bomber aircraft. This completed, he proceeded on the 29th March 1943 to No. 1651 Conversion Unit, Waterbeach, Cambridgeshire, for training on Stirling Bombers prior to being posted on the 17th May 1943 to No .15 Squadron, Mildenhall, Suffolk, and commencing operational flying. With this squadron as wireless operator of a Stirling bomber he took part in eleven operational flights comprising attacks on Wuppertal, Dusseldorf, Hamburg (3), Essen and Remschied, all in Germany; Le Creusot in France, and (redacted these) three sorties minelaying in enemy waters.

Last edit 7 months ago by Privacylover
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-2- (centre aligned) Flight Sergeant Ramsay was wireless operator of a Stirling bomber which took off on air operations on the night of the 30/31st July 1943 to attack the target of Remschied in Germany. The aircraft failed to return to its base and all the crew was classified as missing. After due time had elapsed Flight Sergeant Ramsay's death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 31st July 1943 as the result of air operations.

The crew of the aircraft contained two other New Zealanders, Flight Lieutenant J.C. Dillicar of Hamilton and Flying Officer B.L. Jackson of Timaru.

Find a Grave link with a photo of Flight Sergeant Ramsay: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15261715/ian-grant-ramsay Auckland Museum link with a photo of Flight Sergeant Ramsay: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C31056?n=ian+grant+ramsay&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0

5/15/2358 AS2. 246 hours as Wireless Operator Air Gunner.

Mrs. J. Ramsay (M) (right aligned) "Sunnyvale", (right aligned) NIGHTCAPS (right aligned & underlined)

Last edit 7 months ago by Privacylover
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405508 Sergeant William Robertson RAMSAY. Parents: Mr. & Mrs. G.J.S. Ramsay of Port Chalmers.

Born at Kaitangata on the 4th June 1917, William Ramsay received his education at Palmerston District High School. His principal sport was rugby which he played in his school first fifteen. After leaving school he accepted employment on local farms before joining the Brunner Collieries Ltd., as a mine worker. He was so employed on the 28th September 1939 when he applied for war service in the R.N.Z.A.F.

Sergeant Ramsay was enlisted for aircrew training on the 22nd December 1940 at the Ground Training School, Levin on the 30th January 1941 he embarked on the "Aorangi" at Auckland to proceed to Canada for training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after arrival in Canada, Sergeant Ramsay was posted on the 16th February 1941 to No. 3 Wireless School, Winnipeg, Manitoba being posted at the conclusion of this training to No. 6 Bombing and Gunnery School, Mountain View, Ontario. Here on the 4th August he was awarded his Wireless Operator Air Gunner's Badge and received his promotion to Sergeant, following which on the 10th August he proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia to await embarkation for the United Kingdom.

Arriving in England on the 14th September 1941 Sergeant Ramsay reported to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth remaining attached here until posted on the 29th September to No. 1 Signals School, Cranwell, Lincolnshire. Thence on the 14th February 1942 he proceeded to No. 23 Operational Training Unit, Pershore, Worcestershire, to crew-up and complete his training on Wellington bomber aircraft prior to being posted on the 13th May to No. 75 (N.Z.) Squadron, Feltwell, Norfolk, and commencing operational flying. With this Squadron as Air Gunner of a Wellington bomber he took part in eight operational flights comprising attacks on Cologne, Essen (4), and Emden in Germany and St. Nazaire and Dieppe in France.

On the night of the 8/9th June 1942, Sergeant Ramsay was a member of the crew of a Wellington bomber briefed to attack Essen. The aircraft failed to return to its base and all its crew was classified as missing. Later, information was received from an official German source through the International Red Cross that Sergeant Ramsay had lost his life and he was in consequence reclassified as missing believed killed in action, and

Last edit 7 months ago by Privacylover
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2. (centre aligned) after due time had elapsed his death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 9th June 1942 as the result of air operations. It was later learned that he had been buried in the North Cemetery, Dusseldorf, Germany, but subsequently he was reburied in the Reichwald Forest British Military Cemetery.

The crew of the aircraft contained one other New Zealander P/O R.J. Smith of Johnsonville.

Auckland Museum link with a photo of Sgt. Ramsay: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C18576?n=william+robertson+ramsay&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0

5/2/2586 A.S.2. 159 hours as Wireless Operator Air Gunner.

Mr. G.J.S. Ramsay (F) (right aligned) Careys Bay (right aligned) PORT CHALMERS (right aligned & underlined)

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