Raymond George Parke was born on 22 April 1925. He became an RAF Bomber Command F/E and completed 40 operations with 218 Squadron (A flight), October 1944 to March 1945, flying Lancasters from Methwold and finally Chedburgh. He left the RAF in 1947.

Daytime and night operations were commonplace. Many included RAF 1000 bomber raids. His targets were 39 in Germany, such as  Duisberg, Essen, Cologne, Gelsenkirchen, Dresden, Chemnitz. Westkapelle in the Netherlands was the only non-German target in his operational tour.

Ray has been awarded the Legion of Honour by the French government in 2018. King Charles 3rd met with Ray in May 2023 and spent a while talking privately with him, reminiscing about flying experiences and the long-lasting effects PTSD. In November 2023, Ray was be presented with The Netherlands Liberation Medal by the Dutch government. This is in recognition of his operations undertaken, especially in daylight, over the Walcheren Island in October 1944. His exploits were illustrated in the 1969 book (+ many reprints) ‘The Eighth Passenger’, written by Miles Tripp.

Ray was employed by Norwich Union from 1947 to 1985, as the head office legal department manager. Subsequently he has been active, contributing to books, making IBCC recordings, local and national World War 2 commemoration events, supporting independent aviation museums, along with providing ‘first person’ accounts and experience chats, in schools and with RAF cadets across Norfolk and Suffolk.

Link to IBCC Interview with Ray.

Contact with The Association

In August 2024 The Association was contacted by a gentleman called Fraser Gambling who told us about Ray who was living in a care home in Norwich.

We immediately asked Ian Harvey and Nick Nicholls, who live close by, to follow this up and arrange a meeting with Ray. The care home had set aside a private room as a quiet space for the 3 of them to meet. He had had a table set up with all his memorabilia, a lot actually, including his medals and flying logbook.

He proved to be in excellent form, is very happy to be an Honorary Member of the FEAEA and is more than happy to meet with others in our Association at any time.