Wing Commander R.A Holmwood RAAF. No 615 Squadron

Discussion in 'The War In The Air' started by spidge, Aug 3, 2011.

  1. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

  2. DaveB

    DaveB Very Senior Member

    What a coinky-dink - I just picked up a copy today of RAF Fighter Command Losses Volume 1 (from the library as an Inter-Library Loan) and this was the first name I wanted to get the aircraft details for...


    HOLMWOOD, Raymond Arthur (Wing Commander) 1086

    Hurricane Z2354 UK (Patrol. Shot down by JG51 over Kent)

    26-Feb-41

    615SQN RAF - Hurricane aircraft flown by WGCDR Holmwood, a Flying Instructor, was shot down by an enemy fighter (cause of death from AWM pdf) (A/C number not on AWM pdf or NAA). "On 26 February 1941, during an engagement with enemy aircraft over Waddenhall, a rural district near Petham, Kent, Holmwood's Hurricane was shot down; he baled out of his aircraft but his parachute caught fire."
     
  3. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    What a coinky-dink - I just picked up a copy today of RAF Fighter Command Losses Volume 1 (from the library as an Inter-Library Loan) and this was the first name I wanted to get the aircraft details for...


    HOLMWOOD, Raymond Arthur (Wing Commander) 1086

    Hurricane Z2354 UK (Patrol. Shot down by JG51 over Kent)

    26-Feb-41

    615SQN RAF - Hurricane aircraft flown by WGCDR Holmwood, a Flying Instructor, was shot down by an enemy fighter (cause of death from AWM pdf) (A/C number not on AWM pdf or NAA). "On 26 February 1941, during an engagement with enemy aircraft over Waddenhall, a rural district near Petham, Kent, Holmwood's Hurricane was shot down; he baled out of his aircraft but his parachute caught fire."


    These coincidences just keep coming.


    Cheers

    Geoff
     
  4. marty61

    marty61 Junior Member

    Hi all.

    During our recent holiday to East Sussex my wife and i were exploring the old town part of Hastings. In a small second hand/collectors shop i found 2 pieces of wreckage from Z2354. One part is from the engine cowling area and the other is what i think to be an access panel with what looks like a fastener of some sort. Both pieces are mounted on a board with a description underneath. I plan to display them in my living room with models of a hurricane 11A and BF 109 for reference.

    I am currently trying to identify the JG51 pilot who shot him down and have 3 possibles going by JG51 archives.
     
  5. lanc101

    lanc101 Junior Member

    Interesting thread, just for the record I own the crankshaft and pistons from R.A. Holmwoods Hurricane (Z2354) that I aquired from the Brenzett museum some years ago, also I have photos of the recovery of his aircraft and also a photo of it when it was in service prior to its loss. I will dig them out and post them here.
     
  6. lanc101

    lanc101 Junior Member

    As my previous post here are the photos of Z2354 (KW-I),the pistons and crankshaft and a photo of the recovery from Wye downs which is now a nature reserve where the Hurricane crashed.marty61, I understand that during the engagement on 26 February 1941 when Z2354 was lost three claims were made by I/JG51 two by Hptm Hermann-Friedrich Joppien at 18:05 and 18:07 in the afternoon at a height of 6800-7000 meters and 4500 meters respectively and Oblt Horst Geyer at 18:10 at a height of 4500 meters. Three pilots from 615 Squadron were shot down during this engagement P/O Hone, F/O Foxley-Norris and W/Cdr Holmwood, it is understood from 615 squadron records that W/Cdr Holmwood bailed out from his burning hurricane at 7000 meters and his parachute caught fire and he fell to his death so it would seem beyond reasonable doubt that due to the heights involved that W/Cdr Holmwood was shot down and killed by Hermann-Friedrich Joppien.
     

    Attached Files:

  7. Gricer

    Gricer Member

    Hi Ive just found your post here & was wondering if you still had these parts as im a volenteer at Brenzett & we are updating the R A Holmwood display
     
  8. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    Gricer,
    lanc101 was last seen on the forum: Feb 16, 2014
    I suggest you send him a PM as he has not posted since the above date.

    Cheers
     
  9. Gricer

    Gricer Member

    Many thanks ill do that!
     
  10. Gricer

    Gricer Member

    Many thanks spidge ive tried to contact him but no response
    are you able to contact him as admin?
    cheers
     
  11. spidge

    spidge RAAF RESEARCHER

    I am not an Admin - Suggest you send a PM to Owen (Admin). I am not up to date with the privacy rules of the day.

    Cheers
    Geoff
     
  12. Gricer

    Gricer Member

    many thanks will do!
     
  13. lanc101

    lanc101 Junior Member

    Hi Gricer, ive been contacted by Owen who alerted me to your request. Yes I do still have the crankshaft and pistons from Holmwoods Hurricane. Please PM me via my email address if you wish to discuss. I do still want to retain the relic.
     
  14. Gricer

    Gricer Member

    Hi Thanks for replying, we were wondering if you were wanting to part with it, but you've answered that!
    I wanted to ask if it is the actual parts as the engine was kept by the farmer who donated the remains we have? so we didn't have the crankshaft, at the Museum.
    it would be good to know if the engine has been broken up or some is still available any info you have would be helpful
    Cheers
     
    lanc101 likes this.
  15. Justin Holmwood

    Justin Holmwood New Member

    Message to lanc101 : I am the nephew of the late Acting Wing Commander Raymond Arthur Holmwood, the CO of 615 Squadron, who was killed in action on 26 February, 1941 over Waldenhall. I'm currently undertaking some family history research and today I came across your post on this website of the 29 October, 2011 in which you say that you had a photograph of his Hurricane (Z2354) when it was still in one piece. Were you able to locate the photo and do you by any chance still have it ? If you do, would it be possible to obtain a copy of it ? I'll pay appropriate costs.
     
    lanc101 likes this.
  16. lanc101

    lanc101 Junior Member

    Hello Justin, yes i do have the photo of Hurricane Z2354. Please drop me a pm to this address:
    steve.scott2@sky.com

    and ill be happy to send you a copy of it.

    kind regards
    Steve
     
  17. lanc101

    lanc101 Junior Member

    Im 100% sure the relics i have are from Holmwoods engine from Z2354. I obtained them from the museum with lots of paperwork and photographs from the excavation showing the parts i have being lifted from the crater. Are the other remains from Z2354 still on display at the museum?
     
  18. Hello All Concerned,
    My name is Raymond Whiteman from Toowoomba in Australia ... Wing Commander Ray Holmwood was my father's best friend at 'Armidale High School' NSW
    until their leaving school in 1928. I have photos of Ray at that school with my father as well as a 'Postcard' sent to my father from Point Cook.
    My father always spoke so highly of him & was always very emotional when he told me of his friend's loss so early in the war.
    Through this link, I have only just realized that WC Ray Holmwood was married & had a son possibly born in 1937 in Australia.
    I was born in 1949 at Barcaldine Qld. and I am pretty sure I was named after my father's good friend Raymond Holmwood. I am reaching out to anyone who knows what his son's name was & where he might be living if he was still alive ? My father went on to join the 2/1st Australian Infantry Regiment which was the first Aussie brigade to enter WW2 & first to go into battle at Bardia & Tobruk, then along the Nth Africa Coast, then onto Greece & Crete where my father was taken prisoner defending Retimo Aerodrome from German Paratroops. Finally entrained all the way from Greece again and through the Alps into Bavaria & Poland to be interned for the next 4 years before escaping back to England in 1945. Would love to hear from any of W.C Raymond Holmwood's remaining family.
    Regards, Ray Whiteman... Aust.mobile# 0428 554 935
     

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