Awards:  Air Navigators Badge,  1939-45 Air Crew Europe,  Defence Medal,  War Medal

BIOGRAPHY

Raymond Ernest Dallwitz was the son of August Herman Dallwitz, a retired grazier, and Mary Theressa Micken of Wangaratta, Victoria, Australia.  Raymond was born in Culcairn, NSW, Australia and was a storekeeper before the war.  He partnered for 3 years with his brother and they were wholesale merchants in Wangaratta.

Schools

December 1928         Department of Education NSW, Certificate “Permit to Enrol”

                                     Subjects were: Arithmetic, Mental Arithmetic, English, Geography, Dictation, Spelling.

January 1929 – December 1930: Public High School Albury, NSW from which he obtained a “Certificate”

                                                         Subjects were: Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Science, English, Latin, French, History, Woodwork.

He loved playing tennis, football, golf and cricket.

From January 23 till April 22, 1941 he served with the 59^th Battalion: Universal Trainee as Motor Transport Driver.

He enlisted on October 10, 1941 age 24 and single.

His medical was on June 5, 1941 in N°1 Recruiting Centre in Melbourne.

Height: 5 feet 6 ½ inch

Weight: 158 lbs

Complexion: Fair Medium

Eyes: Grey

Hair: Brown Medium

Raymond was first attached to the RCAF from April 18, 1942, from October 19, 1942 till October 27, 1942 to 31 RAF Depot Moncton and from May 20, 1943  till May 23, 1943 in Aircrew Commando School.

Embarked Melbourne for Canada on  March 21, 1942.

Disembarked Canada April 18, 1942.

Disembarked in the UK on November 5, 1942.

Lancaster JA906 took off from RAF Bottesford at 1830 hours on the night of 3/4th October 1943 to bomb Kassel, Germany. The bomb load was 1 x 4000 lb (pound) (1,800 kg) bomb, 24 x 30 lb (14 kg), 1344 x 4 lb (2 kg) incendiaries. After the target was bombed they returned to base, flying over Zeeland the plane crashed in the sea south west of Vlissingen (The Netherlands).

According to F/Sgt Wellington: Loss of aircraft was caused firstly by flak but attacked constantly by fighters, we flew at low level, we hit the sea.  I have no knowledge of anything else as I was unconscious, in my belief 4 members were trapped when we hit the water, Dallwitz, Francis, Jackson, Brook.

The body of Flt/Sgt. Sidney Edward Jackson RAAF washed ashore at Beach N°1, east of Breskens and buried the next day, November 9^th at the Noorderbegraafplaats in Vlissingen.

Flt/Sgt. Ronald Gordon Wellington RAAF was rescued and taken POW, transferred to Stalag IVB Mühlberg-Elbe. POW N° 259919.

Dulag Luft: October 12, 1943 - October 27, 1943 - Stalag IVB: October 29, 1943 - April 13, 1945

Released by the Russians on April 22, 1945 and transported to the UK.

Repatriated: embarked UK for Australia June 18, 1945 and disembarked Sydney July 24, 1945.

Discharged November 11, 1945.

P/O Geoffrey Joseph Smith RAAF and Sgt. Alexander T. Proudfoot RAF were rescued and taken POW, transferred to Stalag Luft IV Sagan-Belaria.

Flt/Sgt. Raymond Ernest Dallwitz and Flt/Sgt. Sidney Edward Jackson both buried in Vlissingen.