LAC Raymond Gumley

[madcat11]

I’m trying to find out what happened to LAC Raymond Gumley. He died on the 30th April 1943 and is now buried in Cambridge City Cemetery. He has a private headstone which makes no reference to his Service.

He is listed on Aircrew Remembered website but I thought by 1943 all aircrew were NCO’s or Officers.

This is a long shot but does anybody have a lead on this?

Regards,

Scotty

[longer ron]

Trainee pilot/aircrew ? - they usually had the rank of LAC

[madcat11]

Trainee pilot/aircrew ? - they usually had the rank of LAC
Maybe Ron.

he was married to a lady called Kathleen Ellen Pryke.
Pryke was not her Maiden name. She was previously married to Peter B F Pryke (Pilot) who was killed in Wellington accident at RAF Bassingbourn in 1940. They had only been married a few months. She the married Raymond and, again, was only married a few months before he died.

Absolutely tragic. Both the airmen are buried in Cambridge City Cemetery.

Regards,

Scotty

[teeteringhead]

Could also have been an air gunner or a WOp/AG. Whilst most (all?) fairly quickly achieved Sgt rank (at least) they certainly flew as LACs.

[longer ron]

Which is why I said trainee pilot/aircrew Teeters - from approx June 1940 all aircrew were given the rank of Sgt - so by 1943 the only LAC Aircrew 'should' have been U/T Pilots/Aircrew.

[Wander00]

Surprised not CWGC d(s). Maybe families preferred their own RiP whatever the case

[mosquitob4]

He is in the CWGC recordd, as follows:Leading AircraftmanGUMLEY, RAYMONDService Number 926961

Died 30/04/1943

Aged 27

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Son of Horace and Elsie Mary Gumley; husband of Kathleen Ellen Gumley, of Cambridge.

Kind regards,

N

[Icare9]

I believe RAFCommands traced his death in Cambridge District records as GumEEY, and a Raymond Gumley birth in 1916.
430430 - Unaccounted airmen - 30-4-1943 (http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/showthread.php?8316-430430-Unaccounted-airmen-30-4-1943)
There were a number of RAF bases around Cambridge, so perhaps not a flying accident, but illness or accident, such as RTA?
Ground crew aren't usually shown as being affiliated to any specific Squadron, which may explain lack of any Unit details.

Could this be his father?
GUMLEY, ARTHUR. Corporal. Service Number 2358. Died 11/06/1915. Aged 23
1st/4th Bn. Leicestershire Regiment
Husband of Eva Gumley, of 105, Thrumpton Lane, Retford, Nottingham.
Buried at WIMEREUX COMMUNAL CEMETERY. Plot I. Row I. Grave 28A.
(birth would need to be 1st Qtr 1916).
Possibly?
Raymond Gumley. Birth Registration Quarter: Jan-Feb-Mar 1916
Registration District: Leicester, Leicestershire,
Mother's Maiden Name: Dakin. Volume:7A Page 440.

You say that Kathleen Pryke remarried shortly after the death of her previous husband - so could this be related?
Name: Kathleen A Gumley. Birth Registration Quarter: Oct-Nov-Dec 1941
Leicester, Leicestershire. Mother's Maiden Name: Brown. Volume: 7A. Page: 511

PRYKE, PETER BERRY FAIRWEATHER. Sergeant (Pilot). Service Number 741959
Died 13/08/1940
Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve

Name: Peter Berry Fairweather PRYKE
Father: Sidney Nicholas PRYKE (1870-1946)
Mother: Amelia Lily FAIRWEATHER (1871-1952)
Birth 1914 Thetford District
Death 13 Aug 1940 (age 25-26) Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Died in war service. Effects to widow Kathleen Ellen Pryke
Commemorated on St Lukes, Cambridge War Memorial Roll of Honour WW2

AIR81/2587 Flying Officer F A H Lambart, Sergeant D O Rewa, Sergeant H H Boulter, Sergeant P Pryke, Sergeant S Robinson, Sergeant D L Jones: killed; Sergeant P G Marsh: injured; aircraft accident, Bassingbourn, Wellington L4387, 11 Operational Training Unit, 13 August 1940. Reason for Loss, Swung out of control and hit another 11 OTU aircraft (Wellington I L4286)

and a photo of L4387 https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205208425

[Icare9]

PN: You misunderstand
Kathleen A Gumley MAY be the CHILD of Gumley and the widow Kathleen E Pryke.....
but until OP clarifies we're none the wiser.

[Pontius Navigator]

PN: You misunderstand
Kathleen A Gumley MAY be the CHILD of Gumley and the widow Kathleen E Pryke.....
but until OP clarifies we're none the wiser.
Quite right, dyslexia, I miss read the 511.

You need to look for a Kathleen Ellen Brown in the 1939 register, this may well have the two husband's names updating her surname. I would look but my subscription has lapsed.

Son of Horace and Elsie Mary Gumley; husband of Kathleen Ellen Gumley, of Cambridge

This doesn't fit your assumption.

[Icare9]

Son of Horace and Elsie Mary Gumley Fair point :)
15 all?

[PJC123]

I’m trying to find out what happened to LAC Raymond Gumley. He died on the 30th April 1943 and is now buried in Cambridge City Cemetery. He has a private headstone which makes no reference to his Service.

He is listed on Aircrew Remembered website but I thought by 1943 all aircrew were NCO’s or Officers.

This is a long shot but does anybody have a lead on this?

Regards,

Scotty

he was my uncle

[DonClark]

At Malcolm Barrass' fine Air of Authority site, the members area includes detailed casualty lists by date

For 926961 LAC Raymond Gumley, his 30 Apr 1943 death is recorded as follows
"He had been medically discharged when he died from natural causes in Papworth Hospital, Cambridge. He is buried in Cambridge City Cemetery."

Added note to RAF Commands db entry etc