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| PERSONALIA |
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| Name: |
Cruickshank, Raymond Alfred |
| Date of birth: | September 27th, 1917 (Newport/Monmouthshire, Great Britain)
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| Date of death: |
May 3rd, 1941
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| Buried on: |
Commonwealth War Graves Christchurch
Plot: Ext.. Grave: 287. |
| Nationality: |
British |
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BIOGRAPHY:
Service number: 33364, Royal Air Force.
Raymond was the only son of Raymond and Gladys Cruickshank, born many months after his father's death in the First World War.
Educated at Newport high school, he obtained a Viscount Wakefield Scholarship, and went to the RAF College at Cranwell on the September 10th, 1936. He graduated from Cranwell on July 29th, 1938 and was posted to 149 Squadron, RAF Mildenhal l, Suffolk on July 30th, 1938.
Raymond Cruickshank had Crash landed at Stambourne, Essex on April 21st, 1941 while flying sterling Bomber no N6009 on return from Ops to Koln - non of the crew were injured)
He was married on April 26th, 1941 to Section officer Daphne Garrod WAAF
Within a week of his marriage on the night May 2nd/3rd 1941 he was a pilot aboard sterling aircraft N6012, operating with 7 Squadron based at Oakington, Cambridgeshire, the crew were returning from operational duties to Hamburg when the aircraft hit trees when circling to make an approach and continued for 200 yards, crashing on it's back at Dry Drayton, Cambridgeshire, at 02:31 hours. Sadly the entire crew lost their lives as a result of the crash.
Other members of the crew were: - 969726 Sgt R S Harvey, 944678 Sgt GW Smith, 625698 Sgt S A Hives, 755776 Sgt E Barratt, 755698 F/Sgt J MacIntyre, 572032 Sgt K F Wilson.
He was buried in Christchurch Cemetery Newport on May 8th, 1941,the funeral service was held at St Mark's Church, Newport.
Promotions:
?: Pilot Officer;
30th January 1940: Flying Officer;
30th January 1941: Flight Lieutenant (War subs.).
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MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES
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Rank:
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Pilot Officer
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Unit:
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No. 7 Squadron
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Awarded on:
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February 20th, 1940
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Action:
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Received for gallantry and devotion to duty in the execution of air operations.
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DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS (DFC)
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Rank:
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Flying Officer
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Unit:
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No. 7 Squadron
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Awarded on:
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June 7th, 1940
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Action:
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Citation:
"This officer has been engaged on operational flying since the beginning of the war and has carried out many raids, security patrols and North Sea sweeps. One night in May 1940, he was ordered to make a bombing attack on bridges over the Meuse in one of the most heavily defended points in the operational area. In spite of almost impenetrable fire, by which his aircraft was hit, he descended to a low altitude and withheld his bombs until certain of the position of the target which he successfully hit. His coolness, determination and dogged disregard of danger enabled him to inflict severe damage on the enemy communications under most difficult conditions."
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Details:
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Published in the London Gazette dated 7th June 1940.
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DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS (DFC)
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Rank:
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Flight Lieutenant
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Unit:
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No. 7 Squadron
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Awarded on:
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October 22nd, 1940
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Action:
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Received for gallantry and devotion to duty displayed in the execution of
air operations.
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Details:
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Second DFC awarded as a bar to be worn on the ribbon of the first DFC.
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Provide alterations or additional information |
| Picture source: |
- Martyn Cruickshank
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| Information source(s): |
- The London Gazette, Issue 34786, dated 6th February 1940
- Supplement to The London Gazette of 20th February 1940, Issue 34795, dated 20th February 1940
- The London Gazette, Issue 34866, dated Friday 7 June 1940
- The London Gazette, Issue 34976, dated 22nd October 1940
- The London Gazette, Issue 35090, dated 28th February 1941
- Commonwealth Wargraves Commission
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