Raymond was born in April 1918 in Steyning, Sussex to Boris, who was born in the Ukraine and Kitty née Kaufman and he had a sister named Irene. Their father Boris worked as a furrier. Ray was educated at Macauley House school in Cuckfield.

At the outbreak of war Ray was in Los Angeles working as an assistant cameraman and travelled home to join the army.

On 5 March 1940, Ray enlisted into the Army, serving in the Welsh Regiment and then transferred to the Monmouthshire Regiment on 13 June 1940. After serving in the Army for fourteen months Ray transferred to the Royal Air Force on 10 May 1941 as an Aircraftman 2^nd Class. By the 1 July 1941 he was an under-training pilot and he qualified as a pilot on the 30 Jan 1942. He gained his commission as a pilot on 21 May 1943, and became flying officer on 21 Nov 1943. He was sent to 10 Squadron in May 1944 and was on his ninth operation.

Ray was the pilot of Halifax MZ584 known as ‘V for Victory.’ Six of the crew were killed and the story of the aircraft crash as told by the sole survivor Andrew McKinnon, the rear gunner, is on the link below.

F/E, Daniel Daley, 1890562
A/G, Arthur Stanley Fordham, 1866501
A/B, Jack Cyril Lelliott, 151978
W/Op, Gordon Seymour Lind, 1520883
Nav, Henry Charles Williamson-Rattray, 646518

Resources

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