Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Birth

Raymond George Toop Goodman was born in Sydney, NSW, on 26th September 1896, the son of William G.T. and Florence Leticia Goodman (nee Attreed).

His father William's Biography is provided and the end of the document

Schooling

Raymond attended St Peters College from 1907 to 1914, winning the Second Form prize in 1908 and competed in the Annual Sports and representing the college in rifle shooting, football and cricket. Raymond passed his Senior Examinations in March 1915 and played in an interstate tennis tournament March 1915 .

University Sports

Raymond joined the Adelaide University Rifle Club in 1915 and played A grade for the Adelaide University Football Club in 1915. He was also a reserve for the cricket team on one occasion, but the opportunity to play cricket for the Blacks was interrupted by his war service. He did return to playing cricket with his local community team after the war.

WWI

Raymond enlisted on the 16 June 1915 and required the permission of his father WGT Goodman of Strangways Terrace, North Adelaide, SA to enlist. His occupation prior to enlistment was Student. Raymond was described as 5’7” and 154 lbs with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. He left Australia with the 8th Field Ambulance on 18th November 1915 and arrived in Egypt on 11th December 1915. Raymond served in the 3rd Field Ambulance and the 15th Field Ambulance before being transferred to the 50th Battalion on 29th April 1916 when he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant.

Raymond then served in France from 12th June 1916 and on 1st September 1916 he was promoted to Lieutenant. Raymond suffered several bouts of tonsillitis while on active service. On the 13th July 1917 he was with the 4th Australian Division Base Depot as an Instructor. He then rejoined his unit in Belgium. After another bout of tonsillitis in December 1917/January 1918 he rejoined his unit in Havre, France. On the 17th March 1918 Raymond was seconded to duty with the 13th Training Bde in England. On 14th September 1918 re returned to regular duties. On the 2nd April Raymond was promoted to Temporary Captain. He returned to Australia 30 July 1919 per 'Swakopmund' and was discharged in August 1919.

Return to University

After returning from WWI Raymond commenced studying for a Bachelor of Engineering at Adelaide University gaining a Division III pass in Physics I in 1919. Raymond was a member of the winning Adelaide Intervarsity Rifle Team in 1919 and was awarded a Rifle Blue (1919).

Raymond helped organise the 1920 University Ball and presented a gift to the Prince of Wales on behalf of the University Sports Association (see document).

Raymond was an applicant for the 1920 Rhodes Scholarship but his application was not successful. Raymond appears to have left University before completing the final exams in 1920.



Amateur Sports

Athletics - In October 1919 Raymond was the One Mile Champion for returned soldiers at the State amateur athletics championships. In April 1921 he won the Throwing the Cricket Ball competition at the SA Amateur Athletics Association Championships he also competed in the 1922 and 1923 Championships.
Tennis - In 1920 Raymond played in the Australasian Lawn Tennis Carnival.
Golf- -In 1921 & 1922 was playing golf for the North Adelaide Club.

Reserve of Officers

In April 1922 Raymond enlisted in the “Reserve of Officers”. In June 1926 he was transferred to the Reserve of Officers 2nd MD (NSW). In November 1928 he retired, only to re-enlist on 28 October 1938 in the Reserve of Officers Infantry. In May 1940 he transferred to the Reserve of Officers, S Comd (3MD - VIC). His appointment was then terminated as he joined the RAAF. His occupation per this section of his Service Record was Company Director and Organiser.

Life between the Wars

In late 1923 Raymond moved interstate. In 1924 Raymond was living in the Young area, NWS (north of Canberra). He played cricket for the Ramblers Cricket Club and for the Young Association team against Burrowa, he also won the long drive competition at the local golf club. In 1925 he in Young and the Blue Mountains as an organiser for the National –Coalition political association, and in late 1925 he was playing golf at the Leura Golf Club.

In 1927 Raymond moved to Victoria. In May 1927, Raymond and WF Sugden attempted to break the record for a trip between Melbourne and Perth in an Indian Motor Bike with Side Car. The pair spent a fortnight travelling to Perth setting up for the attempt. “When they left Perth, the schedule provided for 500 miles travelling every 24 hours.” However close to the WA/SA border they encountered trouble. “The road was literally covered with small, sharp sticks, and no less than fifteen punctures were mended over a twenty-mile space.” Once it was clear that the record could not be achieved the pair drove in a leisurely fashion back to Adelaide. On the journey back to Melbourne they met with a serious accident near Millicent resulting in serious injuries to Mr Sugden.

In 1928 Raymond was travelling around Victoria on the ‘trackless train’ fundraising for the Shrine of Remembrance in Melbourne. In 1931 Raymond was an organiser for the newly formed United Australia Party in Melbourne (a successor to the Nationalist Party of Australia, following a merger with six dissident Labor Party members).

Marriage

In 1938 in Orange, New South Wales, Raymond married Dorothy Thelma Hay Robertson (NSW Marriage Registration 1938/4660).

In late 1939 Raymond was in Wagga Wagga, NSW with the company, Producing Oilwell Supplies Ltd.


World War II

Second AIF

Raymond enlisted in the 2nd AIF 1939 as a Captain (Area Office). In January 1940 he was pictured seeing off youths of the 22nd Field Ambulance Brigade.

Royal Australian Air Force

Raymond transferred to the RAAF April 1940 as a Flying Officer. As Flying Officer R. G. Goodman, the officer commanding No. 5a Travelling Detachment of the R.A.A.F. Raymond was involved in recruitment for the RAAF and he spent much of 1940 and 1941 travelling in rural SA.

Raymond was promoted to Flight Lieutenant in 1942 and was appointed assistant provost marshal and movements control officer in October 1942. Raymond was promoted to Squadron Leader in 1943 and was President of the South Australian RAAF Golf Club. In January 1944 Raymond competed in Inter Services Carnival and was in a head heat for first in the Over 40s 50 yard race. On 24th February 1944, Raymond took command of the Royal Australian Air Force No.5 Transport Movements Office in Brisbane. Raymond was promoted to Wing Commander in 1945 and in 1946 assisted in the planning of a visit to Brisbane by Mountbatten. Raymond was discharged from the RAAF in 1947.

Post WWII

It is unclear when Raymond returned to South Australia after he left the RAAF in 1947, however he attended the ANZAC Day March in Adelaide in 1951. By 1953 Raymond was the State Manager of Lawton Industrial Trucks Limited which became Production Plant Limited.

The 1963 Australian Electoral Rolls show Raymond and Dorothy living at 24 Federation Avenue, Horsham, Victoria. It was from that address on 20th February that Raymond wrote a letter to the Central Army Records Office requesting a copy of his discharge papers which he had left with his parents when he moved interstate in 1923.

The 1967, 1968, 1972, 1977 and 1980 Australian Electoral Rolls show Raymond and Dorothy living at 24 Hillcrest Road, Frankston, Victoria. It was from that address on the 13th August that Raymond wrote a letter to the Central Army Records Office requesting replacement of his WWI Service Medals which he “lost, probably at Sydney in 1924”.

Death

Raymond died on the 30th March 1994, aged 97. He is interred at the Frankston Cemetery, Victoria along with his wife Dorothy, who died in 1990.

Author EE (Beth) Filmer

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project please see the document attached.