Operation: Anti-Diver Patrol

Date: 23rd August 1944 (Wednesday)

Unit: No. 486 Squadron (motto: Hiwa hau Maka - 'Beware of the Wild Winds')

Type: Tempest V

Serial: EJ560

Code: SA-M

Base: RAF Newchurch, Kent

Location: At airfield

Pilot: F/O. Raymond Jack Danzey DFC NZ/416464 RNZAF Age 23. Survived

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 09:30 hrs with 7 others for the first of three anti-diver patrols of the day. During take off EJ560 had a total loss of power necessitating the experienced New Zealand pilot making a forced landing.

Some publications state that the aircraft suffered Category 'B' damage and that the pilot spent around four weeks recovering at the hospital in Orpington.

The squadron operational record books state that he was uninjured and it shows him flying Tempest EJ625 on the 25th August on another anti-diver patrol and again on the 26th August. flying Tempest EJ719.

DFC Citation 08th May 1945:

'F/O. Danzey has participated in a large number of missions and has attacked a wide variety of targets with great success. His good leadership and accurate shooting in the interception of flying bombs has been rewarded by the destruction of eleven of these missiles.

This officer has recently been engaged on the location and destruction of rocket installations in Holland. In October 1944, when returning front a mission, he observed two Me 262s, and engaged the hostile aircraft and damaged one.

Throughout a long period of operational flying, Flying Officer Danzey has displayed praiseworthy courage and devotion to duty. Although the official citation refers to two Me 262s. five were encountered and are confirmed in the official squadron history. On the 28th October 1944, F/O. Danzey was returning to his Dutch base, at Volkel, with engine trouble when he came across five Me 262 jet aircraft about to bomb his airfield.

He attacked the leader but did not observe the results as he was threatened by another. As a result of his action the five Me 262s were driven off. A piece off one Me 262 was picked up by the RAF Regiment defending the airfield, thereby confirming one damaged. Also credited with the destruction of 11 flying bombs'.

Burial and other details:

F/O. Raymond Jack Danzey DFC. Makara Cemetery. Soldiers Plaques 48/D. Born on the 11th November 1921. Worked as a storekeeper before joining RNZAF on the 30th November 1941. Commissioned on the 16th December 1943. Married to Mary Josephine Danzey who passed away on the 05th December 2011, age 88. Worked as an insurance officer post war. Died 09th November 1998 age 77 of Min Road, Lower Hut, Wellington New Zealand.

Above: L-R: Rear; F/O. Keith Alexander Smith NZ/403828, Fl/Lt. Colin James McDonald NZ/412706, Sq/Ldr. Keith Granville Taylor-Cannon NZ/412284 ✞ killed 13th April 1945, F/O. Raymond Jack Danzey NZ/416464 died 09th November 1998.

Front (on chairs); F/O. Owen David Eagleson NZ/421689 died 30th October 1994, Fl/Lt. William John Shaw, Fl/Lt. Andrew Ralph Evans NZ/427480 died 07th February 2007, F/O. Robert Duff Bremner NZ/424417 died 03rd August 1994, Fl/Lt. John Harry Stafford NZ/421783 died 01st August 2015, F/O. David J Thomson.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this crew with thanks to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, New Zealand Cenotaph, Weekly News of New Zealand, Air Museum of New Zealand, Museum of Transport and Technology, Auckland, Marty Green for grave photograph, National Archives, Kew, AIR27-1934-55/56.

Other pages that nay interest you:

Pages detailing RNZAF Losses

Other sources as quoted below:

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
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