Cammock, Raymond John.

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Cammock, Raymond John, born 04-07-1923 in Canterbury, Christchurch, the son of David John and Bertha Agnes, born Ellis, Cammock, of Christchurch, New Zealand; husband of Kathy Cammock, of Barrowford, Lancashire, England. Raymond had one sister, Nita Irene Webley (Cammock), who died 19-07-2014 age 89, in Napier, Napier City, Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand.

Raymond posted from 61 OTU joined 485 (NZ) Squadron in July 1942, under command of Squadron Leader Edward Preston Wells  and remained with the squadron till September 1942 and left for North Africa and the Mediterranean Theater of Operations with 253 Squadron . In his retirement, Group Captain Edward Wells began farming near Woodbridge, in Suffolk but in his later years moved with his wife to Spain. The couple had an orchard and subsequently Wells developed a keen interest in fruits and the diseases that affected them. He died in England on 04-11-2005, age 89, survived by two children. His wife had predeceased him by four years

Where Raymond Cammack received a commission and also shared a enemy aircraft victory with the 253 Sqn in 1943.

In May 1944 for a second tour of operations he returned to the European Theater of Operations joining the 486 (NZ) Squadron n were during the course with 486 (NZ) Squadron flying the Tempest V, Raymond became a V1 Ace shooting down 21 V1 flying bombs, 1 being shared with the 486 squadron , under command of Wing Commander James Henry “Johnny” Iremonger, DFC . Johnny Iremonger survived the war and died, age 84, on 05-09-2002.

Death and burial of Cammock, Raymond John.

Raymond, above on the right, age 21, was killed 06-10-1944 while stationed at Volkel when his Tempest JN863 was hit by flak while attacking an ammunition train with his Tempest hitting the last coaches and exploding the ammunition train. At 07.00hrs two flights of No.486 (NZ) Squadron left their airfield at Volkel in the Province of Noord-Brabant for an  armed reconnaissance to the area North-East of Arnhem and further to the German border. Some forty minutes later a goods train with about twenty trucks was spotted near the village of Eefde. The flight of S/L Ironmonger engaged, but in  the course of the third attack, at 07.45 hours, F/O Cammock’s Tempest was hit by self-destroying flak fired from the surrounding country. At a height of 500 feet his engine burst into flames and he dived and exploded just in front of the guard-van of the train. F/O Cammock was killed instantly and was initially buried by workers close to the rail track.

Raymond was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross  with 486 (NZ) Squadron . In the Supplement to the London Gazette of 13-12-1944.

The announcement included the following citation, “This officer has displayed great zest for operations and has completed a large number of varied sorties. He has set a fine example of skill and courage and his devotion to duty has been unflagging. Flying Officer Cammock has destroyed 20 flying bombs.”

Raymond rests were reburied at the Lochem New General Cemetery, Gelderland, Netherlands Row 1. Grave 6.

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