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In January 1953 Raw, who was by now a ], was appointed the commanding officer of ].<ref name=Clark_29 /> On 23 February he became the initial commanding officer of ], which had been formed to participate in the ]. He handed this position to Wing Commander ] in May, but remained a member of the flight.<ref name="RAAF_HS_148">RAAF Historical Section (1953), p. 148</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2876085 |title=R.A.A.F. Unit to Plan Air Race |newspaper=] |location=ACT |date=26 February 1953 |accessdate=12 June 2011 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In July Raw temporarily vacated his position at No. 2 Squadron so he could focus on preparing for the air race.<ref name=Clark_29 /> The Canberras piloted by Raw and Cuming departed Australia for the United Kingdom on 10 September, and the race began on 9 October.<ref name="RAAF_HS_148">RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 148</ref> Raw's aircraft suffered damage to its nose wheel while landing to refuel at ], but was able to be repaired. Raw arrived at Christchurch at 04:32 on 10 October, and finished second behind a RAF Canberra piloted by Flight Lieutenant ].<ref name="RAAF_HS_149">RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 149</ref> In January 1953 Raw, who was by now a ], was appointed the commanding officer of ].<ref name=Clark_29 /> On 23 February he became the initial commanding officer of ], which had been formed to participate in the ]. He handed this position to Wing Commander ] in May, but remained a member of the flight.<ref name="RAAF_HS_148">RAAF Historical Section (1953), p. 148</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2876085 |title=R.A.A.F. Unit to Plan Air Race |newspaper=] |location=ACT |date=26 February 1953 |accessdate=12 June 2011 |page=4 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> In July Raw temporarily vacated his position at No. 2 Squadron so he could focus on preparing for the air race.<ref name=Clark_29 /> The Canberras piloted by Raw and Cuming departed Australia for the United Kingdom on 10 September, and the race began on 9 October.<ref name="RAAF_HS_148">RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 148</ref> Raw's aircraft suffered damage to its nose wheel while landing to refuel at ], but was able to be repaired. Raw arrived at Christchurch at 04:32 on 10 October, and finished second behind a RAF Canberra piloted by Flight Lieutenant ].<ref name="RAAF_HS_149">RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 149</ref>


Raw returned to No. 2 Squadron on 18 December 1953.<ref name="RAAF_HS_13">RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 13</ref> During this month the unit became the RAAF's jet bomber squadron when it replaced its ] aircraft with Canberras; in doing so the squadron was built around a nucleus of personnel who had served with No. 1 Long Range Flight.<ref name="RAAF_HS_11">RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 11</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52938567 |title=Air Race Crew Will Lead New Squadron. |newspaper=] |location=Perth, WA |date=5 November 1953 |accessdate=13 June 2011 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Later in December a Canberra piloted by Raw established a new speed record for flying between New Zealand and Australia, completing the crossing between ] and Sydney in two hours and 49 minutes.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51085425 |title=NZ-Aust flight breaks record. |newspaper=] |location=Brisbane, Qld. |date=24 December 1953 |accessdate=12 June 2011 |page=3 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> On 31&nbsp;December 1953 Raw was awarded the Air Force Cross for his role in the London to Christchurch air race, and this medal was presented to him by Queen ] at Brisbane on 10&nbsp;March 1954.<ref name="Federal honors">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47581066 |title=Mrs. Menzies, Airmen in Federal Honours List|newspaper=] |location=Adelaide, SA |date=1 January 1954 |accessdate=28 May 2011 |page=3 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18414101 |title=Queen's Busy 12-Hour Day|newspaper=] |location=NSW |date=11 March 1954 |accessdate=29 May 2011 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Raw returned to No. 2 Squadron on 18 December 1953.<ref name="RAAF_HS_13">RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 13</ref> During this month the unit became the RAAF's jet bomber squadron when it replaced its ] aircraft with Canberras; in doing so the squadron was built around a nucleus of personnel who had served with No. 1 Long Range Flight.<ref name="RAAF_HS_11">RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 11</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52938567 |title=Air Race Crew Will Lead New Squadron. |newspaper=] |location=Perth, WA |date=5 November 1953 |accessdate=13 June 2011 |page=2 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> Later in December a Canberra piloted by Raw established a new speed record for flying between New Zealand and Australia, completing the crossing between ] and Sydney in two hours and 49 minutes.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article51085425 |title=NZ-Aust flight breaks record. |newspaper=] |location=Brisbane, Qld. |date=24 December 1953 |accessdate=12 June 2011 |page=3 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref> On 31&nbsp;December 1953 Raw was awarded the ] for his role in the London to Christchurch air race, and this medal was presented to him by Queen ] at Brisbane on 10&nbsp;March 1954.<ref name="Federal honors">{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article47581066 |title=Mrs. Menzies, Airmen in Federal Honours List|newspaper=] |location=Adelaide, SA |date=1 January 1954 |accessdate=28 May 2011 |page=3 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article18414101 |title=Queen's Busy 12-Hour Day|newspaper=] |location=NSW |date=11 March 1954 |accessdate=29 May 2011 |page=5 |publisher=National Library of Australia}}</ref>

Raw completed his period in command of No. 2 Squadron on 11 July 1955 and was posted to the UK to undertake training at the ].<ref name=Clark_29 /><ref name=RAAF_HS_13 /> Upon his return to Australian in January 1956 he was promoted to the rank of ] and was posted to a planning role at RAAF Headquarters in Melbourne. From December of that year he served as a liaison officer to the RAAF force which supported the British nuclear weapons tests in the ] off the coast of Western Australia.<ref name=Clark_29 />


==References== ==References==

Revision as of 11:47, 13 June 2011

Peter Frank Raw
Squadron Leader Peter Raw (centre) and the other two crew members of the Canberra bomber he flew during the 1953 London-to-Christchurch air raceSquadron Leader Peter Raw (centre) and the other two crew members of the Canberra bomber he flew during the 1953 London-to-Christchurch air race
Born(1922-06-05)June 5, 1922
Carnegie, Victoria
Service / branchRoyal Australian Air Force
Years of service1941–1978
RankAir Commodore
CommandsNo. 205 Group Communication Squadron RAF
No. 1 Long Range Flight RAAF (1953)
No. 2 Squadron RAAF (1953–1955)
AwardsDistinguished Service Order
Distinguished Flying Cross
Air Force Cross

Peter Raw was a pilot and officer in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). He joined the RAAF in 1941, and served as a flight instructor, bomber pilot and the commander of a communications unit during World War II. He rejoined the air force in 1946 and became a specialist navigator. He was appointed the commander of No. 2 Squadron in January 1953, but left this position for part of the year to participate the 1953 London to Christchurch air race, and in which he placed second. He returned to No. 2 Squadron at the end of 1953 and held this position until 1955. Raw subsequently served in staff and diplomatic roles until 1965 when he took command of No. 82 Wing. Between May 1966 and April 1967, Raw served in South Vietnam as the air support coordinator for the Australian forces in South Vietnam; his initial reluctance to commit RAAF helicopters to support the Australian Army force which had been ambushed during the Battle of Long Tan generated lasting controversy. Raw served in various staff and training positions until 1972 when he was appointed the commander of RAAF Base Butterworth. He returned to Australia in 1976 and retired from the RAAF two years later.

Early career

Raw was born in the Melbourne suburb of Carnegie on 5 June 1922. By September 1939 he was working at Carlton & United Breweries as a first year electrical apprentice. He attempted to join the Royal Australian Navy as an electrical artificer in 1941, but was rejected and told to reapply in twelve months time. Instead, he joined the RAAF in 15 August that year. He departed Sydney bound for Rhodesia in November 1941 to be trained as a pilot; this training was conducted as part of the Empire Air Training Scheme. Raw arrived in Rhodesia in January 1942, and completed his training and was commissioned as an officer in December that year. He remained in Rhodesia throughout 1943 and served as a flying instructor.

In early 1944 Raw was transferred to the Middle East and undertook an operational conversion course which prepared him to fly B-24 Liberator heavy bombers in combat. In July of that year he was posted to No. 178 Squadron RAF, which was a British B-24 Liberator equipped unit based near Foggia in southern Italy. During his period with this squadron, Raw took part in operations in the eastern Mediterranean region as well as Hungary, Romania and Yugoslavia. During August 1944 the long range bomber units within No. 205 Group RAF, including No. 178 Squadron, undertook a number of risky operations to supply the Polish Home Army during the Warsaw Uprising. Raw participated in three of these supply flights to Warsaw. One of these flights was made on 1 September, and Raw told a journalist that bad weather meant that he had been unable to see the city.

During a raid on the northern Italian city of Verona on 12 October, Raw's aircraft was hit by two anti-aircraft shells which destroyed its hydraulics system and an engine, wounded the radio operator and caused 166 holes in the fuselage. Despite this damage, Raw was able to return the B-24 to its base and made a safe landing. He suffered frostbite to his feet, however, as damage to the plane's nose caused icy winds to enter the cockpit.

In December 1944 Raw was promoted to the rank of flight lieutenant. He subsequently assumed command of No. 205 Group Communication Squadron RAF in 1945. In February 1945 he was awarded both the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Polish Cross of Valour. Following the end of the war, Raw arrived back in Australia in November 1945 and was demobilised in January 1946.

Raw rejoined the RAAF in May 1946, and was able to retain his wartime rank of flight lieutenant. In 1947 he was posted to Britain to undertake specialist training in navigation and returned to Australia in October 1949. Upon his return, he served as an instructor at the RAAF's School of Air Navigation followed by training positions at No. 78 Wing and No. 2 Operational Training Unit.

Commanding officer

In January 1953 Raw, who was by now a squadron leader, was appointed the commanding officer of No. 2 Squadron. On 23 February he became the initial commanding officer of No. 1 Long Range Flight, which had been formed to participate in the 1953 London to Christchurch air race. He handed this position to Wing Commander Derek Cuming in May, but remained a member of the flight. In July Raw temporarily vacated his position at No. 2 Squadron so he could focus on preparing for the air race. The Canberras piloted by Raw and Cuming departed Australia for the United Kingdom on 10 September, and the race began on 9 October. Raw's aircraft suffered damage to its nose wheel while landing to refuel at Woomera, but was able to be repaired. Raw arrived at Christchurch at 04:32 on 10 October, and finished second behind a RAF Canberra piloted by Flight Lieutenant Roland (Monty) Burton.

Raw returned to No. 2 Squadron on 18 December 1953. During this month the unit became the RAAF's jet bomber squadron when it replaced its Avro Lincoln aircraft with Canberras; in doing so the squadron was built around a nucleus of personnel who had served with No. 1 Long Range Flight. Later in December a Canberra piloted by Raw established a new speed record for flying between New Zealand and Australia, completing the crossing between Auckland and Sydney in two hours and 49 minutes. On 31 December 1953 Raw was awarded the Air Force Cross for his role in the London to Christchurch air race, and this medal was presented to him by Queen Elizabeth II at Brisbane on 10 March 1954.

Raw completed his period in command of No. 2 Squadron on 11 July 1955 and was posted to the UK to undertake training at the Royal Air Force Flying College. Upon his return to Australian in January 1956 he was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander and was posted to a planning role at RAAF Headquarters in Melbourne. From December of that year he served as a liaison officer to the RAAF force which supported the British nuclear weapons tests in the Montebello Islands off the coast of Western Australia.

References

Citations
  1. ^ "Raw, Peter Frank". World War 2 Nominal Roll. Department of Veterans' Affairs. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  2. ^ Clark (2007), p. 28
  3. "178 Squadron". History RAF Formations. Royal Air Force. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  4. Herington (1963), pp. 330–331
  5. "Hard Going in Warsaw Mercy Flight". The Mercury (Hobart, Tas. : 1860-1954). Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 14 September 1944. p. 2. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  6. "With the RAAF over Europe". Townsville Daily Bulletin (Qld. : 1885-1954). Qld.: National Library of Australia. 9 January 1945. p. 4. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  7. Herington (1963), p. 331
  8. "Honours and Awards - Peter Frank Raw". Honours & Awards. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  9. Clark (2007), pp. 28–29
  10. ^ Clark (2007), p. 29
  11. ^ RAAF Historical Section (1953), p. 148 Cite error: The named reference "RAAF_HS_148" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  12. "R.A.A.F. Unit to Plan Air Race". The Canberra Times (ACT : 1926-1954). ACT: National Library of Australia. 26 February 1953. p. 4. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  13. RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 149
  14. ^ RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 13
  15. RAAF Historical Section (1995), p. 11
  16. "Air Race Crew Will Lead New Squadron". The West Australian (Perth, WA : 1879-1954). Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 5 November 1953. p. 2. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
  17. "NZ-Aust flight breaks record". The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Qld. : 1933-1954). Brisbane, Qld.: National Library of Australia. 24 December 1953. p. 3. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  18. "Mrs. Menzies, Airmen in Federal Honours List". The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931-1954). Adelaide, SA: National Library of Australia. 1 January 1954. p. 3. Retrieved 28 May 2011.
  19. "Queen's Busy 12-Hour Day". The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842-1954). NSW: National Library of Australia. 11 March 1954. p. 5. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
Bibliography
  • Clark, Chris (2007). "Task Force Air Commander". Wartime (39).
  • Coulthard-Clark, Chris (1995). The RAAF in Vietnam. Australian Air Involvement in the Vietnam War 1962–1975. The Official History of Australia's Involvement in Southeast Asian Conflicts 1948–1975. Sydney: Allen and Unwin in association with the Australian War Memorial. ISBN 1863733051.
  • RAAF Historical Section (1995). Units of the Royal Australian Air Force: A Concise History. Volume 3 Bomber Units. Canberra: Australian Government Publishing Service. ISBN 0644427957.
  • Herington, John (1963). Air Power Over Europe, 1944–1945. Australia in the War of 1939–1945. Series 3 – Air. Canberra: Australian War Memorial.
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