Ray Williams was an air gunner in No. 75 (NZ) Squadron RAF during the Second World War.

 

Ray was born in Trimdon, County Durham, but flew with a New Zealand crew.

 

How did this happen?

 

The origins of the squadron that Ray Williams flew with in World War II  can be traced back to October 1916 when No.75 Squadron Royal Flying Corps was formed. This WWI Squadron was used for home defence in the United Kingdom against intruding Zeppelin airships.

 

In June 1939 a New Zealand Flight was formed at Norfolk, England, to fly the recently purchased Wellington bomber aircraft back to New Zealand, but when war was declared on 3 September 1939, the New Zealand Government offered its Wellingtons and crews to the Royal Air Force (RAF).

 

In April 1940 these aircraft and crews took over the title 'No. 75(NZ) Squadron RAF'.

 

Equipped with Wellingtons, No. 75 (NZ) Squadron of the RAF - the first Commonwealth squadron to be formed in Bomber Command - took part in the early bombing offensive against enemy-occupied territories.

 

Throughout the remainder of WWII No.75 Squadron flew Wellingtons, Stirlings and Lancasters as part of RAF Bomber Commands offensive against Germany and occupied Europe.

 

By war's end the Squadron had flown 8,150 operational missions.

 

The crew of 75 Squadron and its predecessor, the New Zealand Wellington bomber flight, were awarded many decorations including one VC, 6 DSOs, 88 DFCs, 4 bars to DFCs, 2 CGMs and 17 DFMs

The Victoria Cross was awarded to Sergeant James Ward.

 

The Squadron was disbanded in October 1945.

 

Ray Williams volunteered to join the RAF when he was 19 years old. Since 14 he had worked down the pits in Fishburn, County Durham – a hard and dangerous life, and not one that he chose or enjoyed.

 

Because coal-mining was a reserve occupation, and his mother did not want him to leave home, Ray had to tell some tales to be accepted into the RAF, but he was successful and on 27 December 1943 became Airman No. 3040687.

 

Family legend says that Ray joined a New Zealand crew to evade his mother who wanted him back so that he could go down the pit. As Ray was small and dark-skinned, he could easily pass as a Maori in a New Zealand squadron!

 

Ray’s mother pursued him.

 

There were ‘Wanted’ posters put up in mess rooms listing people who were wanted because they were too young or were in reserve occupations. The posters were removed and ‘lost’ by his crew-mates!

 

After initial training, Ray attended air-gunner training at No.2 Air Gunnery School at RAF Dalcross between 9 April 1944 and 26 May 1944. Training on an Anson, Ray qualified as an Air Gunner on 27 May 1944, gaining an examination mark of 79.9% after 30 hours flying. His Squadron Leader commented that Ray ”Showed improvement towards the end of the course. Should do well with more experience”.

 

On joining No.11 Operational Training Unit, Ray met the man with whom he was to spend most of his flying experience – Pilot Officer Hannan, a New Zealander.

 

Between 4 July 1944 and 21 July 1944 Ray experienced 15 hours day-time flying and 13 hours night flying in a Wellington at RAF Oakley. This was followed by a further 20 day-time hours and almost 20 night-time hours at RAF Westcott.

 

In October, Ray flew fifteen flights in a Stirling. During November he gained his first experience of the Lancaster, making eleven flights in four days.

 

During his operational training, on 5 August 1944, Ray experienced the effects of high altitude flying when he was put in a Decompression Chamber and the effects of flying without oxygen at 28,000 feet were simulated until he was ‘rendered anoxic’, ie he passed out. The medical officer noted in Ray’s log book that the symptoms were ‘not severe’!

 

On 28 November 1944 Ray Williams, Air Gunner, joined No. 75 (NZ) Squadron RAF, based at RAF Mepal in Cambridgeshire.

 

Mepal, near Ely in Cambridgeshire, was a brand new aerodrome and 75 Squadron had arrived there in July 1943.

 

The new aerodrome had aircraft, air-crew and ground-crews.  Without the dedication and hard work of the ground crews no operations could have taken place. They worked tirelessly, in the open in most cases, to repair or service aircraft, sometimes in the most appalling weather conditions. Their efforts were as much a major factor in winning the air war as the aircrews that flew the operations.

 

When Ray Williams arrived at Mepal on 28 November 1944 he was no doubt pleased to be assigned to a Lancaster bomber piloted by Flight Lieutenant Hannan, the pilot with whom he had taken his first flights at Operational Training Unit.

 

The full crew was:

 

• Flight Lieutenant Leonard Walter Hanna RNZAF (NZ42397) Pilot (with the squadron 28 Nov 1944 to 1 May 1945)

 

• Flying Officer William Ernest Brizley RNZAF (NZ429030) Bomb Aimer (with the squadron 28 Nov 1944 to 1 May 1945)

 

• Wireless Operator Wallis George Jenkins RNZAF (NZ425258) Wireless Operator /Air Gunner (with the squadron 27 Nov 1944 to 6 Oct 1945)

 

• Flight Sergeant Hector Duncan McLeod RNZAF. (NZ4213273) Navigator (with the squadron 28 Nov 1944 to 30 Apr 1945)

 

• Flight Lieutenant Alan John Rhodes DFM, RNZAF. (NZ42340) Wireless Operator /Air Gunner (with the squadron 19 Dec 1944 to 21 Jul 1945)

 

• Sergeant P Yellin, RAF (serial unknown) Flight Engineer (with the squadron 28 Nov 1944 to 1 May 1945

 

• Sergeant Raymond Williams, RAF. (3040687) Air Gunner (with the squadron 28 Nov 1944 to 1 May 1945. (Mid Upper Gunner in this crew)

There was also another Air Gunner called Sergeant Williamson

 

Just seven days after arriving at Mepal, on 4 December 1944, Ray Williams flew his first operational sortie – a four-hour raid on Oberhausen in Germany.

 

Statistically, the chances of survival were lowest during a crew’s first five missions, when the crew was inexperienced.

On 12 December 1944 Ray flew the dreaded fifth sortie.

 

He was lucky to return.

 

Ray’s aircraft collided with another over the German target, Witten, two turrets became unusable and the crew limped home on three engines.

 

During December and January, the crew attacked marshalling yards, storage depots and refineries in Cologne, Koblenz, Vohwinkel, Dortmund, Munich, Saarbrucken and Krefield (at the last target, the bombs were dropped whilst flying on three engines, a highly dangerous manoeuvre).

 

 

1945 started badly for the squadron.

 

On the night of 1st / 2nd January 1945, whilst attacking railway yards at Vohwinkel, the new commanding officer, Wing Commander R.J. Newton DFC MiD RNZAF was lost with his crew.

 

One can only imagine the impact on morale at the station.

 

Because of allied air dominance daylight attacks were now taking place. This allowed for greater bombing accuracy, but it also allowed the German anti-aircraft gunners a better view. As a result, there were casualties: on the 21 March 1945 another 3 aircraft failed to return on from an attack on Munster Viaduct.

 

Targets for Ray William’s crew in February and March included Munchen-Gladbach, Weisbaden, Wesel and Essen.

 

Ray had another lucky escape on 3 February 1945 over Dortmund when incendiary bombs from another plane hit and damaged Ray’s aircraft. The crew managed to return home, landing at RAF Woodbridge rather than RAF Mepal.

 

In mid-March 75 squadron flew operations in support of the allied armies crossing of the river Rhine.

 

The last casualty on the squadron was Sergeant R.S. Clark RAF who was killed by flak over Bremen on the 22 April 1945.

 

On 24 April 1945 the squadron flew its last operation to attack railway yards at Bad Oldesloe, with all aircraft returning safely.

The war in Europe ended on the 8 May.

 

Military operations may have been over but there was still plenty of work to be done.

 

A large part of Holland was still in German hands. The civilian population was desperately short of food and in real danger of starving to death. A truce was arranged with the Germans to allow the RAF and the USAAF to drop food supplies. This was known as ‘Operation Manna’. Supplies were dropped from the 29 April until 4 May.

 

The aircraft of 75 Squadron were now tasked with flying ex POW back to England. By the 24 May 2,219 men had been repatriated.

 

And whilst the war in Europe was over, the conflict in the Far East had not finished.

 

In July 1945 the Squadron moved to Spilsby in Lincolnshire, and was re-equipped with the Avro Lincoln bomber. The squadron was tasked to join what was known as ‘Tiger Force’ to bomb the Japanese home islands. However, before they were ready to depart for the Far East atomic bombs were dropped on Japan and the war finally came to an end.

 

On the 15 October 1945 the Squadron was disbanded.

 

On the 1st April 1946, the 75 number plate was transferred to the RNZAF in perpetuity in recognition of the squadrons’ wartime exploits.

 

A total of 1,139 members of 75 (New Zealand) Squadron lost their lives during World War II.

 

Between 4 December 1944 and 9 April 1945, Ray Williams had flown 35 operations – 134 hours in the day-time and 66 hours at night-time.

 

During that period Bomber Command as a whole lost 1,088 aircraft on missions.

 

Ray’s tour of operations finished on 30 April 1945. The same day the German leader, Adolf Hitler, committed suicide in Berlin. The war ended nine days later on 8 May 1945.

 

Ray married on 15 July 1946 but remained in the RAF. Ray saw service with a number of other squadrons in Egypt and other countries. He left the RAF on 16 January 1950, nine years exactly to the day on which his daughter, my wife, was born.