RATCLIFFE, Peter John
| Service Number: | 423325 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 June 1942 |
| Last Rank: | Leading Aircraftman |
| Last Unit: | No. 622 Squadron (RAF) |
| Born: | Woollahra, New South Wales, Australia, 22 April 1923 |
| Home Town: | Randwick, Randwick, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Marcellin College, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Cadet Engineer, Dept of Main Rds, NSW |
| Died: | Flying Battle, United Kingdom, 19 November 1943, aged 20 years |
| Cemetery: |
Cambridge City Cemetery, United Kingdom Grave 13944, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial, Murray Bridge 622 Squadron Honour Board |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Sep 1939: | Involvement Flight Sergeant, 423325 | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Jun 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 423325, No. 622 Squadron (RAF), Sydney, NSW | |
| 20 Jun 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 423325 | |
| 3 Oct 1942: | Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 423325, Royal Canadian Air Force Training Units | |
| 19 Nov 1943: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, 423325, No. 622 Squadron (RAF), Crew member (Flight Sergeant) of Short Stirling EF123 - GI-A that crashed south-east of Ely, Cambridgeshire returning from bombing raid on Leverkusen, Germany. |
Help us honour Peter John Ratcliffe's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of Augustine Henry and Mary Theresa Ratcliffe, of Randwick, New South Wales
Sydney Roll of Honour
Biography contributed by Anne Logan
When Peter John Ratcliffe was born on April 22, 1923, in New South Wales, Australia, his father, Augustine, was 40 and his mother, Mara, was 34. The family eventually consisted of five sons and three daughters.
It is not known where in Woollahra, N.S.W. he was born but most references to an address referred to the family residence at 227 Avoca Street, Randwick.
Staunch Roman Catholics at least three of the boys attended Marcellin College in Randwick. Peter attended from 1935 to 1939 and passed both the Intermediate and Leaving Certificates. After leaving Marcellin, Peter attended Sydney Technical College, Ultimo, studying a Local Government Engineering Diploma (Stage 1). He was employed as a Cadet Engineer, Department of Main Road, 309 Castlereagh Street, Sydney while studying.
Peter enlisted in the RAAF alongside two of his older brothers, Vincent and Henry (Harry).
From "On A Winner - A History of Marcellin College"
THE RATCLIFFE BROTHERS
It is worth recalling the memory of a few of those who died. Of the three Ratcliffe Brothers serving in the RAAF, Vince was killed in June 1943, in a raid over France - he had been mentioned earlier in dispatches for his exploits - and Peter was killed five months later; Harry went on to win the DFC.
SPORT
All of the Ratcliffe boys seemed to excel at a variety of sports. On his enlistment application, Peter states he has played football for his school for five years, six years of cricket and two years of handball.
CHARACTER
The Ratcliffe boys were cousins of my mother but I don't remember them ever being talked about, unfortunately. The way it was in those days. All of the Ratcliffes were staunch, upright people with great civic responsibility and I imagine Peter to be exactly the same. In the photos in his service record, he is so young, wearing a cheeky grin and described as having acne scars on his face and shoulders - not uncommon for someone so young.
His record sheet repeatedly described him as being of good character and he had absolutely no blemishes on his record.
Peter had a great future ahead of him but sacrificed it all for the greater good.
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