Service No. 404780

Date of Birth: 18 Feb 1913

Place of Birth : GOOMERI, QLD

Date of Enlistment: 8 Nov 1940

Date of Discharge: 8 Sep 1945

Rank: Flight Lieutenant

Date of Death: 17 Dec 2000

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Two operational tours of duty:

• 459 RAAF Hudson Squadron. RAF No.21 Naval Co-op Group, Middle East Command, Completed 12.5.43.  

• 454 RAAF Baltimore (b) Squadron 201 Naval Co-Op. Group to July 1944 (as above), and then Desert Air Force, Italy, July 1944 to 7.11.44.

 

Aircrew Training:

Ray Heathwood left Australia on 30.12.40 with 5th draft EATS trainees for further courses in Canada and England at:

 

• No.1 Wireless School, Montreal

• No.1 Bombing & Gunnery School, Jarvis, Ontario

• No.1 Wireless School, Cranwell, England

• No.1 (C) OTU Silloth, England

 

Completed First Operational Tour of duty on 12.5.43 at Gambut Nth. Africa with 459 RAAF Hudson Sqdn, RAF 201 Group.

 

Completed Second Ops. Tour of duty with 454 Baltimore (B) Sqdn. with RAF 201 Group at Berka 111, Benghazi, then with RAF Desert Air Force in Italy at Falconara on 7.11.44 accumulating 113 operational sorties in all, with the same pilot, S/Ldr. D.C. Beaton DFC.

 

Instructed at 75 RAF OTU Giannaclis, Egypt between operational tours. 

 

Specialist additional training courses included:

• No 10 Gunnery Leaders Course, El Ballah, Egypt.

• No 5 Central Gunnery School. Suez Canal, Egypt.

• No 5 RAF Signals School, Helwan, Egypt.

 

He was discharged as Flight Lieutenant.

 

Hudson Crew 459:

• Pilot:        Don Beaton DFC RAAF

• Ob/NavB:  Norman Potier RAAF

• WOP/AG:  Douglas Maddrell RAAF

• WOP/AG:  Ray Heathwood RAAF

 

Baltimore Crews 454:

Pilot:         Don Beaton DFC RAAF

NavsBs:    Pop Sinclair RAAF

                 Don Surtees RAF

                 Nick Nicholson RAF

WOP/AGS: Doug Maddrell RAAF

                  Hec Park RAAF

                  Allan White RAAF

                  Arthur Paul RAAF

                  Ray Heathwood RAAF

 

 

Unusual Formation Bombing Tactics with 454.

Beaton preferred to obtain a 3 course wind when approaching a target (somewhat of a luxury Ed).  He also favoured a sometimes long (sometimes a 1 minute) bombing run much to the unhappiness of members of his "box" formation.  Indeed a Squadron song " The Sixty Second Bombing Run" was sometimes sung in the Mess but not when Don was around.  However, his formation bombing results were good - many plain language target reports claiming "Apples: (all on target) some "Oranges" (some on - some off) and "Lemons" (all missed) were comparable with those of other lead crews.

 

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Some More General Comments:

The crew was always in  aggressive operational mode on both Squadrons.  Theirs were never routine sorties.  Beaton was always on the lookout for action.  Anecdotal evidence suggests he was not only tough and no-nonsense in attitude, but, despite some heavy handed flying, was a safe leader who depended a great deal on crew members for the exercise of good operational judgment.  Ray Heathwood was crisp and laconic and very much to the point in requesting aerial maneuvers on evasive operational tactics during fighter intervention.

 

Ray's inquisitive nature constantly led to unusual happenings - a booby trapped log meant many small shrapnel cuts to his legs (but he stayed on duty)'[ he was always looking for good fishing spots despite the booby trap problems.

 

I am confident that all service personnel who knew Ray Heathwood in wartime days, and in matters flowing from that tie, recognised his commitment, courage, sound operational judgment, good leadership qualities and penchant for gathering and reporting selectively important information.  As a dedicated MacKay (Qld)  farmer post war who kept in touch with the Association he has had a fulfilling life in war and peace.

 

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"A Hairy Atlantic Crossing" (This letter was written by Ray Heathwood to Vic Cashmere.

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"Dear Vic,

 

Your reference to sailing from Australia on Queen Elizabeth reminds me of seeing the majestically huge ocean liner in Sydney Harbour close up from a small motor launch in Dec,1940. Our troop ship "The Empress of Russia" departed Sydney Harbour the day before taking 5th Canadian draft to train in Canada under the Empire Training Scheme.

 

On completion of training in Canada and a somewhat "Hairy" convoy crossing of the Atlantic we eventually arrive at Greenock in the Clyde Estuary Scotland - nearby among the numerous ships afloat was the "Empress of Russia".  We were pleased to see her.   We noted also the masts protruding above the water line - Jerry Bombers have scored some hits! When I say our Atlantic Crossing was "hairy", after thought indicates some skullduggery was being enacted in the convoy sailing times.

 

Monday 28th July 1941 - training completed, we arrive in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and are surprised at the large number of merchant ships we see in the Harbour.  The "Grapevine" says we will embark on the largest convoy to sail to the UK.  German Intelligence had our predicted sailing time and sent their mighty battleship "Bismark" from Kiel in the Baltic around the top of Denmark out through the Skagerrak out into the Atlantic - up the Norwegian coast into the Artic Ocean, turned west, crossed around the top of Iceland and headed south down into the Atlantic - running slap bang into a British naval squadron plugging the gap.  The mighty "Bismark" blew up Britain's largest battleship, "HMS HOOD" from 18 miles away, drowning 2000 British navel men and continued on her way south to attack our convoy!

 

Now our convoy of 74 ships headed by armed merchant cruiser "HMS California" and guarded by 9 Corvettes could only sail at the speed of the convoy's slowest ship - No.35 knots.  It covered a large area of ocean - horizon to horizon - counting them all was not easy.

 

The Admiral in charge sailing "HMS California" welcomed Australia, NZ and Canadian airmen aboard but warned us this was no holiday cruise - "You will be given tasks supporting our guns".   When the Bismark sunk the HMS Hood our Admiral said "We will attack the Bismark", if we meet.  Yes we may be sunk but it will allow time for the convoy to disperse.  We will not be a soft target - I expect every man to do his duty regardless of the situation - our English sailors were muttering "bloody fool".

 

Aboard ship there's no doubt this is a war - we listen to the radio and know about the HMS Hood catastrophe.  Then one afternoon we hear  "Lord Haw Haw" - Irishman William Joyce saying "Sharminary Calling" -  - I have sad news for parents in Australia, NZ and Canada of aircrews aboard HMS California - German forces have sunk this ship and sadly there is a great loss of life.  I advise you to go to your respective Governments asking that your sons be pulled out of this war.  Well I look over the side of the ship, we seem to be handling the waves quite well!. Later someone says "I can see land on the port side" - later land is also sighted to the starboard - where the hell can we be?

 

Some say we must have changed direction and are steaming into the St. Lawrence estuary.  Later a Canadian from Newfoundland recognised the coast line on the starboard - Newfoundland!  Someone else said that's Labrador on the port - we are in the Strait of Belle Isle heading north.  As it is now known the Bismark sailed down the Atlantic side of Newfoundland and not finding any convoy turned east, hightailing for safety of the French Coast. British airmen flying their outdated "String Bags" (old Swordfish) from an aircraft carrier found the Bismark - they attacked with torpedoes - one managed to score a hit in the arse-end of the Bismark - damaging its rudder control - for awhile it could only sail in circles.  Time was lost and when the Bismark repaired the situation and again hightailed it for the French Coast - it ran slap bang into another Naval Squadron racing up from Gibraltar.  The Bismark was sunk, 2000 German sailors swimming in the sea - British Destroyers picked up 100 or so and left the remainder for they feared U-boat attacks from a wolf pack.  When quaffing the odd ale later with British Navy types who manned one of the largest battleships they told us how from 15 miles away they could see the red glows when their shells hit the 18 inch thick steel sides of the Bismark.

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Our convoy continued north among the icebergs - when some 80 miles off the coast of Greenland our HMS California put on speed  and headed away from the convoy going off into the night, we knew not where!  At dawn we awoke to find our ship at anchor in Rekyavik Harbour - Iceland.  We airmen were then offloaded  and HMS California sailed out into the harbour.  Some motor trucks came and took us  to very new camp huts.  No beds or furniture of any kind - in our clothes we slept on the concrete floors - and the food!  Two meals a day, one in the morning and one at night, of watery weak soup.  The authorities apologised for not having anything else! Not even a loaf of bread! Not even Bully Beef or Hard Biscuits!  It seems the Navy thought the risk of taking us further was considered too great! 

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During our stay in Iceland we found the people rustic, reserved with little sympathy for the Allies.  German influence had made a favourable impression among them before the War.  The British Tommy  Soldiers who were in strength had been kicked out of  Norway by the German invasion.  Many I spoke to have seen considerable fighting - they had not been home since Jerry began the Blitz, many have lost their homes and their families are casualties.  They are embittered with a hatred for the Nazis and the way the War is going - they want to be back home - Menzies - Blue Angels US are an insignificant issue in their woes.

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Our authorities impressed on us the need to be diplomatic and respectful to the Icelanders - avoid any incidents - strictly no fraternising, especially with their young women - who in their shy way  seemed inclined to be friendly!  An Icelandic farmer makes a living from very small plots of land - houses his few sheep and cattle  in their dwellings.  All of us walk around constantly hungry - one day I spotted a group of Airmen gathered tightly around a fire from which comes the wonderful smell of roasting mutton - they have stolen a sheep and are hoeing into a feast, I plead for even a bone to chew on, they are very unfriendly and tell me to "piss off".  I was not even offered a bone!  A Belgian ship took us to Scotland.  A crowded dirty ship taking also a very disgruntled crowd of British soldiers.  Some airmen had their hammocks commandeered.  We were not in sufficient strength to put up a successful fight for our assigned area of a very crowded ship.

 

For the voyage to Scotland I slept on the top deck in cold pelting rain - could get no meals - I acquired a loaf of bread which I hid inside my shirt - though hard and stale it provided some nourishment.  Our very wet overcoats surprisingly kept us warm for they absorbed heat from the ships funnel.  Sailing up the Clyde to Greenock to disembark the sun came out, people from their bombed homes issued greetings with towels and sheets. The Clyde was well dotted with masts and rigging protruding above the water.  The extend of the damage surprised us - the returning British troops looked at the scene with disgruntled looks worrying about what the situation was at their home.

 

When we entertained for the rail journey to the English Channel Coast - the Salvation Army supplied us with cold tomato sandwiches and hot tea - how wonderful that tasted.

 

 

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         Successful bombing mission - on target                        Ray's diary record of the day