Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Harvard aircraft AJ808 and AJ803 from 71OTU collided in mid-air and crashed three miles north of Summit near Khartoum, Sudan with Pilot Officer Raymond Edgar Holgate 403338 (AJ808) killed when his parachute failed to open

Pilot Officer Edwin Sautelle Hayes 405178 (AJ803) survived by parachute (killed in January 1943 when Kittyhawk FR316 crashed)

Raymond Edgar Holgate

Perth Moden School Student 1930-34

On the morning of Thursday 29 October 1942 two Harvard trainers took off from the Royal Air Force base at Summit in the Sudan.  At approximately 11am the two aircraft accidentally collided.  Both pilots bailed out but only one survived. 

Raymond Edgar Holgate was born in Hunters Hill in Sydney, NSW on 17 August 1917 to Christopher Edgar and Millicent Emma Holgate.  He attended Knox Grammar School in North Sydney in 1926 and 1927 and Belmont Primary School in Perth in 1928 and 1929.  On 11 February 1930 he commenced at Perth Modern School, an academically selective high school in Subiaco, an inner suburb of Perth.  The family lived in South Perth.

Ray completed three full years at Modern School and passed his Junior Examinations in nine subjects, one more than was usual.  He was well thought of by his teachers and glowing comments grace his record such as “A bright hardworking boy”, “Has more than maintained high place.  A good lad in every way”, “Position improved still further – now outstanding in a good form.  French 82%, Latin 87%”.

Ray commenced 4th Year in February 1933 but left at the end of March to commence employment with the English, Scottish and Australian Bank Limited, possibly to assist with the family’s finances during the Great Depression of the 1930’s.

Ray enlisted in the RAAF Reserve in Sydney on 17 July 1940 when he was 22. He was still employed by the ES&A Bank, now in the Branch Inspectors Department in King Street, Sydney.  He had used his academic ability to qualify for membership of the Commonwealth Institute of Accountants and the Australian Institute of Secretaries.  Ray was living in Mosman when he enlisted but later moved to Cremorne.  He transferred to the Permanent Air Force six months later on 6 January 1941 when he was 23. 

Ray was accepted for air crew training and was appointed on 6 January 1941 to the rank of Aircraftman 2 (AC2), the equivalent of Private in the Army.  He was stationed at No. 2 Initial Training School at Lindfield, a northern suburb of Sydney.  He gradually worked his way through the training programme and was awarded his Flying Badge on 22 August 1941, having qualified as a pilot.  He was granted a commission in the RAAF with the rank of Pilot Officer on 20 October 1941, less than a year after he enlisted. 

Ray departed from Australia for the UK on 13 November 1941 and arrived there six weeks later.  After several short periods of duty at locations in the UK he was posted to RAF Middle East Command and sent to Abu Sueir air base (now Abu Suwayr) near Cairo on 2 April 1942.  He was promoted to Flying Officer on 20 April and sent to Glider School in June. 

At this time the Germans were pushing the British eastward out of Libya into Egypt, threatening Cairo, the strategic port of Alexandria and the vital oil fields of the Middle East.

Ray served briefly with the RAAF Liaison Office in Cairo and on 8 October 1942 was posted to No. 71 Operational Training Unit (OTU) at Summit, a regional town in Sudan more than 2,000 kms south of Cairo and 700 kms north-east of Khartoum.  OTU's provided pilots with operational training prior to being posted to a squadron. 

Ray’s first flight with 71 OTU was on 19 October 1942.  Ten days later he took off on his last flight in Harvard Trainer AJ808.  Pilot Officer Edwin Hayes of Queensland was the pilot of Harvard AJ803.   At some point the two aircraft collided and both pilots were able to bail out of their aircraft.  Edwin Hayes landed safely; however, Ray’s parachute did not open and he was killed when he hit the ground.  The two aircraft crashed about five kms north of Summit. 

The public records relating to the collision are sketchy and do not include the findings of the Board of Inquiry.  There was also an attempt to conceal the fact that Ray’s parachute did not deploy.  The typed draft letter dated 5 November 1942 to Ray’s mother contained the information but it was crossed out by hand and the final letter dated 1 December 1942 excluded it. 

Ray left behind two sisters, Hilary and Betty, two aunties, Grace and Dorothy, and two uncles, Roy and Leo.  He was engaged to Phyllis Brooks of Mosman.  Roy’s father, Christopher, had died before Ray’s death.  His mother, Millicent, was living in Sydney.  She arranged for the following words from Acts 20:24 to be written on his headstone: “He counted not his life dear unto himself”, recognising Ray’s commitment to others.  

Ray was buried in Gebeit War Cemetery, 28 kms north of Summit.  In 1955 the Commonwealth War Graves Commission transferred his remains to Khartoum War Cemetery.  A young man of considerable promise, his life was tragically cut short when he was only 25.

LEST WE FORGET

References:

Perth Modern School archives

AWM https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1720730

CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2273816/raymond-edgar-holgate/

DVA https://nominal-rolls.dva.gov.au/veteran?id=1051259&c=WW2#R

NAA https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=5243476&S=22&R=0

NAA https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1055037&S=7&R=0

Trove https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17796729 , https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/17797657