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

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-2- (centre aligned) near the target area, having been hit by anti-aircraft fire. In consequence all the crew, including Pilot Officer Rankin were classified as missing believed killed. Later information was received that Pilot Officer Rankin had lost his life and that he was buried in the Edgnes Cemetery, Stavanger, Norway.

5/2/827 A.S.2. No Log book.

Mr. D. Rankin (F) (right aligned) 14 Malcolm Avenue (right aligned) WELLINGTON (right aligned)

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404942 Sergeant Noel Bain RANKIN. Widow: Mrs. J.I. Rankin of INVERCARGILL.

Noel Rankin was born in Invercargill on December 22nd 1913 and received his secondary education at the Southland Boy's High School. His school sports were football, tennis and swimming. At the time of applying for enrolment in the Civil Reserve of Pilots on June 15th 1938 he was employed by the Texas Oil Company (Australia) Limited, Wellington. As he was not accepted for the Reserve he further applied for War Service in Aircrew on October 28th 1939 this time being accepted.

Sergeant Rankin was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on December 1st 1940 as Airman-Pilot under training. He was posted for his elementary training to Taieri on January 18th 1941 proceeding early in March to Wigram to complete his service training. Here he was awarded his Flying Badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant on May 24th 1941.

Sergeant Rankin embarked for the Far East on June 12th 1941. He disembarked at Kallang, Singapore on July 14th and was posted to No. 243 Squadron.

Sergeant Rankin was the pilot of a Buffalo type aircraft posted missing on an operational patrol south east of Chongi, Singapore Island on January 12th 1942. The death of Sergeant Rankin was officially presumed and no further information was ever subsequently received.

5/2/1440 A.S.2. No Log Book.

Mrs. J.I. Rankin (W) (right aligned) 36 Duke Street (right aligned) INVERCARGILL (right aligned)

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NZ391868 Sergeant Lauritz Andrew Woodney RASMUSSEN (surname underlined) Parents Mr. and Mrs. A.S. Rasmussen of Remuera, Auckland.

Laurie Rasmussen was born at Auckland on the 10th September 1921 and received his secondary education at the Auckland Grammar School, afterwards continuing by night classes at the Seddon Memorial Technical College. At school he played tennis, cricket and football, afterwards football for the Grammar Old Boys' Club and cricket for the Grafton Cricket Club. At the time of applying for enlistment in aircrew, on the 19th September 1939 he was employed by McKenzie's Chain Stores at Auckland.

Sergeant Rasmussen was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on the 18th December 1939 and proceeded on the 16th January 1940 to the training Squadron at Ohakea. Here on the 29th February he was awarded the Air Gunner badge, afterwards embarking on the 26th April by the "Rangitata" FOR the United Kingdom. On the 27th May he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

Sergeant Rasmussen arrived at No. 1 Reception Centre, Uxbridge, Middlesex on the 8th June and remained there until posted on the 17th July to No. 5 Operational Training Unit, Aston Down, Gloucestershire where he trained as Air Gunner of Defiant fighter aircraft. On the 29th August he joined No. 264 Squadron at Kirton-in-Lindsay, Lincolnshire.

Sergeant Rasmussen was the Air Gunner of a Defiant aircraft which took off on an interception patrol on the night of the 4th September 1940 and crashed shortly after take-off, Sergeant Rasmussen losing his life. He was buried in the Kirton-in-Lindsay Burial Grounds, Lincolnshire.

Find a Grave link with a photo of Sgt. Rasmussen: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/127855906/laurie-andrew_woodney-rasmussen Auckland Museum link with a photo of Sgt. Rasmussen: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C19073?n=lauritz+andrew+rasmussen&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0

5/2/3600 AS2 19 Hours as Air Gunner.

Mrs. A.S. Rasmussen (M) (right aligned) 29 Vincent Avenue (right aligned) Remuera (right aligned) AUCKLAND (right aligned & underlined)

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41938 : Pilot Officer William Russell RATTRAY (surname underlined) Parents: Mr. and Mrs. G.J. Rattray of CHRISTCHURCH (city underlined)

Born in Dunedin on the 6th February 1920, William Rattray received his secondary education at the District High School at Cromwell where he passed the matriculation examination and afterwards proceeded to Otago University to study commerical subjects. The game he played were football, cricket and tennis. His occupation was that of a clerk in the office of Kempthorne Prosser & Co., in Dunedin. In June 1940 he applied for war service in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.

Pilot Officer Rattray was enlisted for aircrew training on the 8th February 1941 at the Ground Training School, Levin and commenced his flying training on the 22nd March when he was posted to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taieri. On the 26th May 1941 he embarked for Canada to continue his training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after his arrival in Canada, Pilot Officer Rattray was posted on the 21st June to No. 10 Service Flying Training School, Dauphin, Manitoba and while here on the 1st September was awarded his flying badge and commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer. Following this on the 7th September he proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia to await embarkation for the United Kingdom.

On arrival in England on the 14th September 1941, Pilot Officer Rattray reported to No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, where he was held until posted on the 14th October 1941 to No. 41 Operational Training Unit, Old Sarum, Salisbury. After completing this training he was posted on the 21st December 1941 to No. 231 Squadron, Longkesh, Northern Ireland.

On the 11th March 1942, Pilot Officer Rattray was a member of the crew of a Lysander aircraft which took off on a tactical reconnaissance sortie, and crashed at Atkinsallagh, Glebe, near Coal Island, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland, all members of the crew being killed in the accident. Pilot Officer Rattray was buried in the City Cemetery, Belfast.

Find a Grave link with a photo of P/O Rattray: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/98061441/william-russell-rattray Auckland Museum link with photos of P/O Rattray: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C31092?n=william+russell+rattray&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0

5/1/288 A.S.2. 226 hours as pilot.

Mr. G.J. Rattray (F) (right aligned) 32 Nicholls St, (right aligned) CHRISTCHURCH (right aligned & underlined)

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NZ413474 : Pilot Officer Leslie McDonald RAWLINGS (surname underlined) Father : Mr. A. Rawlings of DUNEDIN (town underlined)

Leslie Rawlings was born at Dunedin on the 11th February 1923 and received his secondary education at the Otago Boys' High School, passing the Matriculation examination in 1939. He afterwards studied accountancy at the Southland Technical College. The sports he was interested in were Rugby football, cricket, yachting and tramping. On leaving school he was employed as a clerk in the firm of H.L. Tapley & Co Ltd., Shipping Agents of Dunedin, and at the time of applying for enlistment in the Royal New Zealand Air Force on the 16th August 1940 he was employed in a similar capacity by the Southland Electric Power Board, Invercargill.

Pilot Officer Rawlings was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on the 15th June 1941 and on completion of his Ground Training Course, proceeded on the 25th July to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School, Taieri to commence his elementary flying training. He then embarked for Canada on the 22nd September to continue his training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

On arrvial on the 11th October, Pilot Officer Rawlings was posted to No. 12 Service Flying Training School, Brandon, Manitoba and while at this Unit he was awarded the Flying Badge, and promoted to the rank of Sergeant on the 16th January 1942. He was further promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 1st May 1943 and commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer on the 3rd July 1943 while serving in the United Kingdom. Meanwhile on the 15th February 1942 he had proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia for embarkation to the United Kingdom.

Pilot Officer Rawlings arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth on the 9th March 1942 and remained attached there until posting on the 13th April to No. 2 (P) Advanced Flying Unit, Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. Here he trained on Oxford aircraft, until the 16th May, when he was attached to No. 1525 Beam Approach Training Flight, also at Brize Norton for

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