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Raymond was born in Magill, South Australia on the 2nd August 1920 to Frederick John and Elizabeth Lucy Bannister. He was one of nine children with four older brothers, George Frederick, Clifford John Frederick Harold and Clarence William plus three younger brothers John Henry, Gordon and Norman plus a young sister, Emily Elizabeth.

Ray had just turned 13 when his father, Frederick died aged 45 on the 9th October, 33. The family had been living in Ovingham but later moved to live in North Adelaide. Ray gained employment as a machinist but still found time to party. He and brother Clarrie, with Alf Capper from Ovington had a celebratory Saturday night out together. Unfortunately, this resulted in a Court appearance where they were found guilty of offensive behaviour in Archer street, North Adelaide. Both brothers were each fined 15/- with 7/6 costs. Alf incurred additional costs for using ‘Insulting words to Constable Golding.’ Their friendship remained intact as when WWII arrived, all three enlisted and were allocated to the same battalion, the 2/48th. Ray was the first to enlist, as SX10598 on December 6th ’40, Alf quickly followed in January ‘41 as SX10848 and Clarrie on the 18th March ’41. Alf Capper’s older brother, Ron enlisted in June that year but was placed in the 2/7th Battalion.

Ray had already been in the 48th Battalion Military Camp as S26172 before being discharged enabling him to enlist aged 21. His early days had a blemish in April ’41 when he was absent without leave for two days, followed by being fined for a serious breach of conduct ‘to the prejudice of good order and military discipline’. The following month he and Clarrie embarked for the Middle East on the ‘Ile De France’ arriving on the 14th May.

Training continued at the Amiriya Staging camp, but Ray, like his brother Clarrie, began to challenge army discipline, failing to appear on parade in June ’41 and consequently being confined to barracks. By mid-December that year, Ray was hospitalised with an undiagnosed condition, followed by a bout of sinusitis, causing him to again be hospitalised. Early in ’42 he was treated for a deflected septum and an inflammation of the small intestine and colon. The former may have been from an altercation as soon after he was discharged from hospital, Ray was again absent without leave for two days in March and fined two days’ pay.

By July that year, the war reached a critical point. John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan described how ‘The sky roared with battle; great clouds of dust billowed up from the combat. To the sullen rumble of the gun, reminiscent of Tobruk, the 2/48th dug in and prepared to make a stand should the German forces break through.’ On the 9th July, word was received that the focus was on attacking and capturing Point 26, Point 23 and Tel el Eisa Railway Station near the ridges and Points 23, 26 and 33, all considered strategically essential to the Allied’s advancement. This was preceded by German tanks charging and running over the slit trenches in which the Australians were sheltering. The fighting was ferocious but also resulted in remarkable acts of courage by individual soldiers against the might of the tanks. It was during this intense fighting that Ray was captured. He later wrote that on the 9th July he was part of the group that “attacked and captured Tel El Isa Railway station and consolidated. The enemy counter-attacked; the company withdrew leaving two forward sections in position. I was in the section on the left flank. We were surrounded by enemy infantry and tanks.” Sydney Kinsman SX8953, captured at a similar time, explained that he was taken prisoner having been captured at the Tel el Eisa railway station when the Germans counter attacked with tanks and artillery. As dark approached, the remainder of his company withdrew without telling the two forward sections, which included Syd. They continued to fight until they were attacked from the rear while also facing tanks and infantry fire from in front, making it impossible to hold out and therefore having no other option that to surrender. Syd was captured with his section leader, Corporal Alvine Montgomerie SX7967, Lieutenant Colonel Max Richardson SX7532 and Private Ronald Irwin SX7858. John Glenn described how the intense action continued “for the next fortnight, bitter and bloody fighting was to rage around this feature until it was finally occupied by A Company… The capture of this coastal ridge turned the whole tide of battle; Rommel’s advance petered out on the slopes of the Tel el Eisa. He had sent counter-attack after counter attack to remove this spearhead that had been thrust deep in his side. The 2/48th Battalion’s casualties for the first day were six men killed in action, eighteen wounded, thirteen missing.” Ray, Corporal Alvine Montgomerie SX7967 and Lieutenant Colonel Max Richardson SX7532 were some of those reported missing.

For all of those captured, their clothing was only what they were wearing – shorts, shirt and boots. It was to be a bleak time as they left the desert. It took some time before the news was published that Ray was missing. A list of POWs, all from the 2/48th Battalion appeared in the Advertiser’s August edition: ‘Missing, Believed Prisoner Of War SX10598 Pte. R. Bannister, North Adelaide. SX8953 Pte. Sydney G. Kinsman, West Thebarton. SX66O6 Pte. Louis T. Kostera. Balaklava. SX6604 Pte. Max G. Reid, Balaklava. SX7532 L-Cpl. Max Richardson, Elliston.

Ray was taken to a POW Camp in Benghazi where he was held in temporary small tents without bedding. Their minimal desert clothing was an issue. However, the men were incredibly well served by the Red Cross who later provided the men with a British battledress overcoat, underclothing and boots by the end of ’42. Conditions were primitive, particularly with sanitary requirements, but at times Ray could purchase razor blades and occasionally fruit. He was hospitalised in late August with suspected malaria but was probably sandfly fever. The prisoners were also utilised as farm workers, putting in an eight-hour day. Ray’s next move was to Brindisi where the bedding improved to become straw and a blanket. This was followed by Camp 82 at Laternia in Tuscany until June ’43 which held only Australians. Again, the Red Cross made conditions bearable with their extra welcome provisions, especially food. Camp at Vaglia followed until early September ’43. Unfortunately, Ray had a further bout of enterocolitis, the small intestine and colon inflammation had returned.

By July ’44 Ray was reported as an escaped POW, reaching Allied lines from Italy. Prior to this in September ’43 the Allied Armies had invaded Italy from the South and the government surrendered. Many POWs took the initiative to flee the POW Camps and head for the mountains, hiding wherever they could in the hope of meeting the advancing Allieds. Back home, good news continued to arrive with advice that Ray had disembarked in the Middle East and was on his way home, via Columbo, reaching Melbourne on the 10th September ’44. From there Ray wasted no time catching a train from Spencer Street railway to head back to Adelaide in October. He was treated for severe mouth ulcers and not unexpectedly, diagnosed with being in an anxiety state.

The Advertiser carried his story, headed ‘SA Man home from War. Nine months with Italian Guerillas.’
‘A South Australian AIF man who broke out of an Italian prisoner of war camp after the armistice was signed with Italy last year and fought his way to the Allied lines over a period of nine months, returned to Adelaide yesterday. He was Pte. Raymond Bannister, 25 of Jeffcott street. North Adelaide. After the armistice, Pte. Bannister, in company with two British soldiers decided to make a bid for liberty and at the first opportunity broke camp and disappeared into the countryside. Travelling by night as much as possible they made their way south obtaining food from friendly villagers wherever possible. After a journey of about a fortnight, Italians who befriended them provided the soldiers with civilian clothes. Later, groups of armed Italian patriots were met and with them the soldiers fought guerilla actions and sniped and engaged in demolition work whenever the opportunity presented itself. Going from one group of guerillas to another, Pte. Bannister gradually worked his way south, living off the land where necessary or sharing the food and shelter provided for his Italian patriot comrades.

‘The going became a little easier after the Allied break-through at Cassino when the Germans were on the run through the countryside. Helped By Poles Pte. Bannister's first sight of the Allied troops was nine months after his dash from the prison camp—they were Poles who had helped chase the Germans from the Cassino and other areas. The Poles gave him a warm welcome when he established his identity and passed him through to British units. He explained yesterday that one of the greatest ordeals in his nine months' journey from north to south Italy was enduring the heavy snow, which at times was over his head. He and his comrades could hardly move for three months, and the cold was hardly bearable. Pte. Bannister, who enlisted In 1940, was in the final major clashes in North Africa, and was taken prisoner in one of those actions. He arrived by train from Melbourne after lunch yesterday, and after meeting officers of the section which enables returning prisoners of war to receive special and expeditious attention, was driven home in a Red Cross car. In spite of his ordeal in North Africa and Italy, and frequent exposure to fire and various dangers, Pte. Bannister has come through practically unscathed.’

Ray was finally discharged on the 4th January ’45 and Private Thelma Grace Menadue who had served with the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service as SF84581 was discharged on the 23rd March the same year. That year, with Thelma’s divorce finalised, the two married. They welcomed Lucille Anne (Rae Lu) on the 4th April ‘49 and later another daughter, Josephine Kaye (Jo) in January ‘52.
In July ’47 Thelma attempted to have the Italy Star awarded to Ray based on his escape and interaction with the Italian Guerillas, but concrete proof was required and sadly, as there was no record of service with an allied force or Partisans the request was denied.

Aged 77, Ray died on the 12th April 1997. A plaque commemorating his service is in the Derrick Gardens at Centennial Park, Path 50 1153B ‘A gentle and loving soul at rest’.. Thelma died the following year on the 14th May 1998 and was buried alongside Ray.

Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.