LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Raymond Rawlings RICHARDSON
Service No: 406160
Born: Northam WA, 11 July 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 15 August 1940
Unit: No. 14 Squadron (RAF), Landing Ground 116, Egypt
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 14 Squadron Blenheim aircraft Z7963), Egypt, 18 April 1942, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Arthur and Edith Alesia Richardson, of North Fremantle, Western Australia
Roll of Honour: North Fremantle WA
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Remembered: Cenotaph Undercroft, State War Memorial, Kings Park WA
Remembered: Honour Avenues, Kings Park WA
Blenheim Z7963, attempting a forced landing, crashed at 1300 hours on 18 April 1942, one mile east of Sidi Barrani, Egypt, on the north side of the main road, killing all three crew members.
The crew members of Z7963 were:
Second Lieutenant Patrick James Chapman (102325) (SAAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant Douglas Willey McConville (401013) (Observer)
Sergeant Raymond Rawlings Richardson (406160) (Wireless Air Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/157/147
Bibliography:
Napier, Michael Winged Crusaders: the exploits of 14 Squadron RFC & RAF 1915-1945, Pen & Sword Books, Barnsley UK, 2012