Pages
31
-2- (centre aligned) a course, returning to No. 2 (P) Advanced Flying Unit on the 7th June. On the 28th July he proceeded to No. 54 Operational Training Unit, Winfield and later to the Satellite aerodrome of Charter Hall, both in Berwickshire, for crewing-up and training on Blenheim and Beaufighter aircraft, prior to joining No. 488 (NZ) Squadron, at Heathfield, Ayrshire on the 3rd November. On August 3rd the Squadron moved to Drem, East Lothian, and from this base as pilot of Beaufighter aircraft, Pilot Officer Rawlings took part in one operational flight.
On the 31st August 1943, Pilot Officer Rawlings was the pilot of a Mosquito aircraft which took off on a training flight and crashed near East Fortune, East Lothian, both members of the crew losing their lives. His body was cremated and his ashes buried in the Cambridge Royal Air Force Cemetery.
Pilot Officer Rawlings brother, Flight Lieutenant Rawlings D.F.C. also lost his life while serving in the Air Force.
Find a Grave link with a photo of P/O Rawlings: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32379295/leslie-mcdonald-rawlings Auckland Museum link with a photo of P/O Rawlings: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C25848?n=leslie+mcdonald+rawlings&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0
5/2/6297 A.S.2. 579 hours as Pilot.
Mr. A. Rawlings (F) (right aligned) 307 Main Road (right aligned) Ravensbourne (right aligned) DUNEDIN (right aligned & underlined)
32
NZ416164 : Flight Lieutenant Raymond Charles RAWLINGS D.F.C. (surname underlined) Father : Mr. A. Rawlings of DUNEDIN (town underlined)
Raymond Rawlings was born at Enfield, England on the 27th May 1916 and came to New Zealand at the age of seven. He received his secondary education at the Dunedin Technical College. He played tennis, and took an active part in swimming and gymnastics. On leaving school he was employed as a printing machine operator by the firm of Whitcombe & Tombs, Dunedin, and in 1936 moved to their branch in Wellington. He was so employed on the 23rd October 1940 when he applied for aircrew enlistment in the R.N.Z.A.F.
Flight Lieutenant Rawlings was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on the 9th November 1941 and on completion of his Ground Training Course, was postd on the 19th December to No. 1 Elementary Flying Training School for his elementary flying training. This training completed, he proceeded on the 7th February 1942 to No. 1 Flying Training School, Wigram and while at this Unit he was awarded the Flying Badge on the 4th April and promoted to the rank of Sergeant on the 13th June. Later while serving in the United Kingdom, he was appointed to a commission in the rank of Pilot Officer on the 3rd May 1943 to Flying Officer on the 1st July and to Flying Officer on the 1st October 1943. Meanwhile on the 22nd June 1942 he had embarked for the United Kingdom.
Flight Lieutenant Rawlings arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth on the 30th July 1942 remaining attached there, until this posting on the 18th August to No. 3 (Pilots) Advanced Flying Unit, Circencester, Gloucestershire, for his advanced training on Oxford aircraft. From September 12th to the 21st October he underwent a course at No. 1519 Beam Approach Training Flight, Feltwell, Norfolk, prior to being posted to No. 24 Operational Training Unit, Honeybourne, Worcestershire, for crewing up and training on Whitley bomber aircraft. He then proceeded on the 6th January 1943 to No. 10 Operational Training Unit, St. Eval, Cornwall, and from this base as pilot of Whitley bomber aircraft he carried out six operational flights, all being anti-submarine patrols. On March 6th he proceeded to Linton-on-Ouse, Yorkshire, from which base he carried out a further
33
-2- (centre aligned) two operational flights, the targets being Essen and Nuremburg in Germany. He the converted to Halifax aircraft on the 11th March to No. 1652 Conversion Unit, Marston Moor, Yorkshire prior to resuming operational flying as a member of No. 158 Squadron, Lissett, Yorkshire on the 13th April. With this Squadron as pilot of a Halifax aircraft he carried out a further fifteen operational flights, including attacks on targets of Stuttgart, Essen, Dortmund, Duisberg, Bochum (2), Krefeld, Mulheim and Gelsenkirchen in Germany; Le Creusot in France, and one minelaying operation to the Frisian Islands. He then underwent a short course from the 4th to the 8th July at No. 1502 Beam Approach Training Flight, Driffeld (was Duffield), Yorkshire and resumed operational flying on the 13th of the month with No. 158 Squadron carrying out a further nine operational flights, the targets being Aachen, Hamburg (3), Essen, Nuremburg, and Berlin in Germany; Montbeliard in France, and Milan in Italy. This brought his total to 26 and completed his first operational tour, and on the 24th September he was posted to No. 20 Operational Traning Unit, Lossiemouth, Scotland.
On the 9th October 1943 Flight Lieutenant Rawlings was the pilot of a Wellington bomber aircraft engaged on a cross-country training flight, and which crashed into a hillside near Kirby Hall, Yorkshire all members of the crew except one losing their lives. Flight Lieutenant Rawlings was cremated at the Kettering Crematorium, Northamptonshire, his funeral taking place on the 14th October.
Soon after his death the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross was made known, the citation reading as follows:- "Flight Lieutenant Rawlings has completed many sorties against some of the most heavily defended enemy targets, such as Berlin, Essen, Hamburg, and Duisberg. On one occasion he was detailed to attack Bochum. When nearing the target, his aircraft was heavily engaged by anti-aircraft fire and became badly damaged. With the utmost determination, he pressed home his attack and flew the damaged bomber back to Base. Flight Lieutenant Rawlings has consistently displayed fine fighting spirit, outstanding courage and great devotion to duty."
34
-3- (centre aligned) One other New Zealander was included in the crew of the aircraft. Pilot Officer P.S.G. Thornton of Tologa Bay. He was the only survivor being slightly injured.
Flight Lieutenant Rawlings' brother, Pilot Officer L.M. Rawlings also lost his life while serving in the Air Force.
Find a Grave link with a photo of Flight Lieutenant Rawlings: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32379296/raymond-charles-rawlings Auckland Museum link with a photo of Flight Lieutenant Rawlings: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C25849?n=raymond+charles+rawlings&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0
5/15/2384 A.S.2. 606 hours as Pilot.
Mr. A. Rawlings (F) (right aligned) 307 Main Road (right aligned) Ravensbourne (right aligned) DUNEDIN (right aligned & underlined)
35
404943 Flying Officer Gerald Edmond RAWSON. Widow: Mrs. M.E. Boow (re-married) in South Africa. Mother: Mrs. F.B. Rawson of NEW PLYMOUTH.
Gerald Rawson was born at Temuka on the 31st August 1918. He received his secondary education at the New Plymouth Boys' High School, passing the Matriculation examination. He afterwards studied for the Professional Accountant's examination, passing on subject in 1937. In 1939 he commenced at the Auckland Training College, and had completed the first Section of the B.A. Degree, when applying for enlistment in aircrew on the 14th January 1940. He held the swimming championship of his school, was a competitor in the New Zealand Surf Championship, represented Victoria College at water polo, and was captain of the Auckland Training College Swimming Team.
Flying Officer Rawson was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on the 30th November 1940 and posted to Whenuapai on the 19th January 1941 for his elementary flying training. He embarked for Canada late in March, for training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.
Shortly after arrival there, he was posted on the 17th April to No. 6 Service Flying Training School, Dunnville, Ontario. Here he was awarded the flying badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant on the 3rd July. Later while serving in the United Kingdom he was promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 1st July 1942 and promoted to Flying Officer on the 6th April 1943. Meantime on the 9th July 1941 he had proceeded to No. 1 "M" Depot, Debert, Nova Scotia for embarkation to the United Kingdom.
Flying Officer Rawson arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth early in August and was posted to No. 61 Operational Training Unit, Rednal, Shropshire, during the same month, for conversion to and completion of his training as pilot of Typhoon aircraft. On the 19th November he was posted to No. 603 Squadron and then early in March 1942 to No. 486 N.Z. Squadron at Tangmere, Sussex. In May he proceeded to Malta, but was injured in take-off for Malta from the aircraft carrier, in the Western Mediterranean, and admitted to Hospital in the United Kingdom. He was discharged from Hospital