Raphael, Gordon Learnmonth
- Date of birth:
- August 25th, 1915 (Brantford/Ontario, Canada)
- Date of death:
- April 11th, 1945 (Southeast England)
- Buried on:
- Commonwealth War Graves St Peter and St Paul Churchyard
Plot: OO. Grave: 20. - Service number:
- 73508
- Nationality:
- Canadian
Biography
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Mentioned in Dispatches
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Wing Commander
- Awarded on:
- January 1st, 1945
"On the night of 18/19 May 1940 while heading for Hanover to bomb an oil refinery, his Whitley was attacked by an Me.110. He was wounded in the foot and one engine was set on fire. Enemy aircraft then crossed tail of Whitley and was shot down in flames by rear gunner, AC Parker. Raphael landed in sea. Crew spent four hours in dinghy before rescue by HMS Javelin (destroyer). On night of 16/17 August 1940, during an attack on Jenna, his bomber was attacked by an Me.110 which the rear gunner shot down. On 28/29 August 1940 took part in raid on Dortmund during which he carried a special camera for experimental night photography and successfully took pictures. "
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Flying Officer
- Unit:
- No. 77 Squadron, Royal Air Force
- Awarded on:
- May 17th, 1940
Rcommendation (dated 22 March 1940):
"As captain of a Whitley aircraft engaged on a Nickel flight to Warsaw on the night of 15/16 March 1940, this officer carried out his task with a precision and exactness that has marked all his operational flights. His teamwork in the air, his meticulous planning before a flight, his ability as a pilot and navigator and his complete knowledge of his equipment makes all his flights appear simple and uneventful. The flight to Warsaw, in spite of an increase in wind speed when going to the target and dense clouds on the return journey, was completed with a deviation from schedule which can be accounted for almost to a minute by the increased wind speed. Throughout the period of the present hostilities this officer has shown skill, daring and initiative on all his flights. Previous flights include a Nickel raid on Posen, as well as several security patrols, reconnaissance and Nickel raids on other German towns."
This is minuted by a staff officer in No.4 Group on 1 April 1940:
"This Canadian officer has carried out many flights over enemy territory since the outbreak of war with a maximum of success. His Nickel flights to Warsaw and Posen were excellent both in prior planning and execution. Very strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross."
"As captain of a Whitley aircraft engaged on a Nickel flight to Warsaw on the night of 15/16 March 1940, this officer carried out his task with a precision and exactness that has marked all his operational flights. His teamwork in the air, his meticulous planning before a flight, his ability as a pilot and navigator and his complete knowledge of his equipment makes all his flights appear simple and uneventful. The flight to Warsaw, in spite of an increase in wind speed when going to the target and dense clouds on the return journey, was completed with a deviation from schedule which can be accounted for almost to a minute by the increased wind speed. Throughout the period of the present hostilities this officer has shown skill, daring and initiative on all his flights. Previous flights include a Nickel raid on Posen, as well as several security patrols, reconnaissance and Nickel raids on other German towns."
This is minuted by a staff officer in No.4 Group on 1 April 1940:
"This Canadian officer has carried out many flights over enemy territory since the outbreak of war with a maximum of success. His Nickel flights to Warsaw and Posen were excellent both in prior planning and execution. Very strongly recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross."
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Flight Lieutenant
- Unit:
- No. 85 Squadron, Royal Air Force
- Awarded on:
- July 15th, 1941
Citation:
"This officer has performed magnificent work in the course of recent night flying operations. Since May 3rd, 1941, when he joined the Squadron, F/L Raphael has destroyed three enemy aircraft and probably destroyed another. On the night of May 10/11th, he shot down a He.111 in flames which crashed near Chelmsford. On the night of June 13/14th, he attacked and probably destroyed a He.111 which was last seen going down completely out of control east of Shoeburyness. A few minutes afterwards, he attacked another He.111 near Gravesend which exploded in mid-air. In both these combats, he pressed home his attacks with great determination in the face of intense return fire. On the night of June 24/25th, F/L Raphael destroyed a Ju.88 after making three separate attacks. In breaking away after the first attack, he received intense and accurate return fire from the enemy aircraft which hit his Havoc in many places including the starboard engine, oil tank, and fuselage. In spite of this, F/L Raphael delivered a second attack which silenced the rear gunner and a third attack which stopped the engines of the Ju.88. F/L Raphael has proved himself to be a relentless and skillful night-fighter pilot and his example has been a source of encouragement to his fellow pilots’. "
Awarded as bar
"This officer has performed magnificent work in the course of recent night flying operations. Since May 3rd, 1941, when he joined the Squadron, F/L Raphael has destroyed three enemy aircraft and probably destroyed another. On the night of May 10/11th, he shot down a He.111 in flames which crashed near Chelmsford. On the night of June 13/14th, he attacked and probably destroyed a He.111 which was last seen going down completely out of control east of Shoeburyness. A few minutes afterwards, he attacked another He.111 near Gravesend which exploded in mid-air. In both these combats, he pressed home his attacks with great determination in the face of intense return fire. On the night of June 24/25th, F/L Raphael destroyed a Ju.88 after making three separate attacks. In breaking away after the first attack, he received intense and accurate return fire from the enemy aircraft which hit his Havoc in many places including the starboard engine, oil tank, and fuselage. In spite of this, F/L Raphael delivered a second attack which silenced the rear gunner and a third attack which stopped the engines of the Ju.88. F/L Raphael has proved himself to be a relentless and skillful night-fighter pilot and his example has been a source of encouragement to his fellow pilots’. "
Awarded as bar
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Wing Commander
- Unit:
- No. 85 Squadron, Royal Air Force
- Awarded on:
- February 2nd, 1943
"Since being awarded a Bar to the Distinguished Flying Cross, Wing Commander Raphael has destroyed 3 enemy aircraft at night. By his inspiring leadership, great skill and untiring efforts, he has contributed in a large measure to the high morale and operational efficiency of the squadron he commands."
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
Sources
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