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-2- (centre aligned) and posted to Wittering, Northamptonshire early in July then joining No. 532 Squadron at Kirton-on-Lindsay, Lincolnshire on the 19th September. Late in January 1943 he was transferred to No. 183 Squadron, Church Fenton, Yorkshire for operational flying.
Flying Officer Rawson was the pilot of a Typhoon aircraft, engaged with other aircraft during the 24th October 1943 in an attack on shipping in Cherbourg, Harbour. One pilot was seen to bale out (redacted and) 12 miles north of Cherbourg, Flying Officer Rawson did not return to base and was classified as missing. It was reported that he was buried in the Cherbourg Cemetery. A post-war casualty search failed to locate his body, and his name is to be recorded on a Memorial to the Missing as having no known grave.
Find a Grave link with a photo of F/O Rawson: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/15261768/gerald-edmond-rawson Auckland Museum link with a photo of F/O Rawson: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C31096?n=gerald+edmond+rawson&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0
5/2/3713 A.S.2. No Logbook.
Mrs. F.B. Rawson (M) (right aligned) 43 Wallace Place (right aligned) NEW PLYMOUTH (right aligned & underlined)
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N.Z.414677 Flight Lieutenant Arthur Lyall RAY (surname underlined) Mother Mrs. E.M. Ray of Te Awamutu.
Arthur Ray was born at Te Awamutu on the 23rd May 1919 and received his secondary education at the Te Awamutu District High School, attaining Matriculation standard. He played football, cricket, hockey, tennis, also taking part in swimming. On leaving school he joined the staff of the Post & Telegraph at Te Awamutu, being transferred later to Auckland, Tauranga, Huntly and Mokai offices. He as employed in the Mokai Post Office on the 10th July 1940 when he applied for aircrew enlistment in the Royal New Zealand Air Force.
Flight Lieutenant Ray was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on the 17th August 1941 and on completion of his Ground Training Course commenced his elementary flying training at No. 2 Elementary Flying Training School, New Plymouth on the 27th September. He then embarked for Canada on the 17th November to continue his training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.
On arrival on the 7th December Flight Lieutenant Ray proceeded to No. 6 Service Flying Training School, Dunnville, Ontario and while at this Unit on the 27th March 1942 he was awarded the Flying Badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant. This was superseded by his being commissioned in the rank of Pilot Officer with effect from the same date, and later while serving overseas, he was further promoted to Flying Officer on the 1st October 1942 and to Flight Lieutenant on the 27th March 1944. Meanwhile on the 24th April 1942 he had been posted to No. 31 General Reconnaissance School, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, then on the 6th July to No. 36 Service Flying Training School, Penhold, Alberta. His next posting was on the 23rd July to No. 32 Operational Training Unit, Patricia Bay, Vancouver Island, where he trained on Hampden aircraft. On the 21st November he proceeded to No. 1 "Y" Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia for embarkation to the United Kingdom.
Flight Lieutenant Ray arrived at No. 11 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth remaining attached there until his posting on the 6th February 1943 to No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit, Turnberry, Ayrshire then on the 13th March to No. 306 Ferry Training Unit, Templeton, Wales for a course of training on Beaufort aircraft prior to proceeding to Ferry Command at Portreath,
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-2- (centre aligned) Cornwall, on the 2nd May. From this base he proceeded as pilot of a Beaufort aircraft to Castel Benito in Libya by way of Gibralta, arriving there on the 9th May. During June he carried out several flights to Cairo West, Habbaniya, and on the 4th of the month piloted a Beaufort aircraft to Karachi, India, by way of Bahrein, Sharjah and Jiwani. From this base as a member of the Ferry Command, he carried out flights to Jodhpur, Bombay, Madras, and Vavuniya Delhi, Lahore, and Risalpur, all in India. On the 7th January 1944 he returned to the United Kingdom and was posted on the 2nd February for a course to N. 1 Beam Approach School, Watchfield, Wiltshire on completion of which he proceeded to No. 29 Operational Training Unit, Bruntingthorpe, Warwickshire on the 15th March for training on Wellington bomber aircraft. He then converted to Stirling aircraft on the 25th June at No. 1660 Conversion Unit, Swinderby, Lincolnshire.
On the 24th July 1944, Flight Lieutenant Ray was a member of the crew of a Stirling aircraft which took off on a night flying exercise, and crashed at Winthorpe aerodrome shortly after take-off, all members of the crew, including Flight Lieutenant Ray losing their lives. He was buried on the 27th July in the Cambridge Regional Cemetery.
Find a Grave link with a photo of Flight Lieutenant Ray: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/32379297/arthur-lyall-ray Auckland Museum link with a photo of Flight Lieutenant Ray: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C25850?n=arthur+lyall+ray&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0
5/15/2083 AS2. 559 hours as Pilot.
Mrs. E.M. Ray (M) (right aligned) Kihi Kihi Road (right aligned) TE AWAMUTU (right aligned & underlined)
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403029 Flight Sergeant Dudley Thomas RAY. Mother: Mrs. E.M. Ray of TE AWAMUTU.
Dudley Ray was born at Te Awamutu on the 21st June 1917. He received his secondary education at the Hamilton Technical College, passing the Intermediate examination. From the time of leaving school in 1932 until applying for enlistment in aircrew on the 2nd November 1939 he was employed as a cabinet maker by Mr. Sydney Clark of Te Awamutu.
Flight Sergeant Ray was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on the 1st September 1940 and embarked for Canada on the 8th October by the Aorangi, to train under the Empire Air Training Scheme.
Shortly after arrival there he proceeded to No. 2 Wireless School, Calgary, Alberta and then on the 15th March 1941 to No. 3 Bombing and Gunnery School, MacDonald, Manitoba where he was awarded the Wireless Operator Air Gunner badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant on the 14th April 1941. Later while serving in the United Kingdom he was further promoted to Flight Sergeant on the 1st December 1941. Meantime on the 21st April 1941 he had proceeded to No. 1 "M" Depot, Debert, Nova Scotia for embarkation to the United Kingdom.
Flight Sergeant Ray arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth on the 17th July and remained there until posted late in September to No. 1 Signals School, Cranwell, Lincolnshire for a refresher course. After completing this late in December, he proceeded to No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit, Turnberry, Scotland for crewing up and completion of his training. Late in April 1942 he was posted for service in the Middle East, arriving there late in May. He joined No. 55 Squadron on the 22nd June, but in September joined No. 14 Squadron at Shallufa, Egypt, for operational flying as a member of the crew of a Marauder aircraft.
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-2- (centre aligned) Flight Sergeant Ray was the Wireless Operator of a Marauder aircraft engaged during the 3rd January 1943 in a torpedo attack on enemy shipping in the Aegean Sea. The aircraft was forced to land in the sea near and island north of the Kyklades Group, on account of damage received during an attack, and Flight Sergeant Ray was classified as missing. An incorrect report was received through the International Red Cross that he had been buried at Seriphos Island, but this was denied by a post-war casualty search of the area. Subsequently it was officially presumed that he had lost his life at sea without trace on the 3rd January 1943.
Find a Grave link with a photo of Flight Sergeant Ray: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14706508/dudley_thomas-ray/photo Auckland Museum link with a photo of Flight Sergeant Ray: https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C31099?n=dudley+thomas+ray&from=%2Fwar-memorial%2Fonline-cenotaph%2Fsearch&ordinal=0
5/3/3861 A.S.2. No Log Book.
Mrs. E.M. Ray (M) (right aligned) Kihikihi Road (right aligned) TE AWAMUTU (right aligned & underlined)