Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Raymond Tom Cupper was born on the 19 of October 1920. He was born in Mildura but moved to Mt Gambier for most of his childhood years. From a very young age he and his brother, Ainslie took an interest in planes. Before the war, they would deliver essentials to people in the rural parts of Australia. Along with working in the horticulture industry. They were very busy people, but Raymond always took the time to display kindness and the willingness to help people, which never changed. He was very close with his mother Ivy Cecily Rea, and his father Tom Cupper. They let the boys pursue their dreams to become pilots and supported them greatly.

Service during the war

Raymond Tom Cupper applied to be an air cadet, in The Royal Australia Air Force on 6/11/39. He was first put in Squadron 2. The squadron was relocated to Darwin, Australia, in December 1941 just before the Japanese entered the war. Soon after the bombing of Pearl Harbour Squadron 2 campaign was mainly based it attacking Japanese ships. The squadron also helped Australian in supplies, air raids and defence from the sky. Soon the squadron was relocated to fight in Timor against the Japanese. On one fateful day, Raymond was given orders to get to his plane and take off immediately, despite the amount of Japanese fire. He sprinted across the field to his plane. But when he got inside, he was surrounded by Japanese soldiers. The Japanese rapid-fire all over the plane, all he could do was cover his head. Then a sharp pain welted through one of his legs. He was shot. He limped out the opposite window. Gasping for air. Then the plane exploded. Another second inside and he would have been dead. He was left there, in a ditch. Luckily, he was found by local Timorese people who kept him alive for 19 days. He was incredibly lucky to have survived those 19 days, as 13 of his crew in the same squadron died in the same battle. Then he was transferred to Darwin Hospital where he was admitted to care. Weeks passed and his leg was still not recovered. But he hears a buzz in the air, he ordered the nurse to hide under his bed and put a mattress over him. She insists there’s nothing there, but Raymond knows what a Japanese plane sounds like. He insists again and the nurse listens. She does it, and his prediction was right. The 1st bombing of Darwin begins, the deadliest attack on Australia. Ray lies there, hearing every scream and feeling the earth shake. All his protection was left in the hands of a mattress. After an excruciating period, the buzz of the planes disappears. His neighbour's patient was dead by a bullet. He was one of the 236 lives lost.  He saved the life of that innocent nurse who didn’t deserve to die so that she can go home to her family.

Ray was then transferred to Perth on a boat. The boat returned to Darwin it was sunk by enemy submarines. He returned to service in 1943. He fought till the war ended.  After the war ended, Raymond was tasked to return the prisoners of war to Australia, who were held captive by the Japanese. This was utterly devastating for Ray, some of the people he transferred back weren’t strong enough to survive the trip home, to whom we will forever remember. This also was awful to see all of the bodies of his fallen brothers, who didn’t have the same privilege to have survived the war. But despite this pain, he lived for them. In everything he did during the war, he did for every Australian. 

Life after the war

Raymond was married to Veronica Beatrice Jean, who was Ray’s nominated next of kin throughout the war. They lived at Power Street, Mt Gamier before and after the war. But soon after had to live in a tent, while their new house was being built. The two welcomed two children. Kenneth John who was born on 10/10/1944, and Wendy. After the war, Raymond had a constant struggle with his knee. The pain and agony would be with him till the end. He was often in so much pain he couldn’t get off the couch, but he saw it as a reminder of what he did, who he fought for, and why he fought. He didn’t participate in the ANZAC matches, he just joined the local Robinvale dawn service. He never really spoke of his life in Japan and Timor, only really to other ex-servicemen. I can only imagine that he got some really bad memories that stuck with him forever. But besides all of this, his remaining years were full of love and compassion that his family gave him. He got to spend time with his family, whom he was so lucky to be with. He died peacefully on the 2 of August 2002 and is buried at Swan Hill, Victoria, Australia.

Lest we forget

References

Naa.gov.au. (2015). Session expired | RecordSearch | National Archives of Australia. [online] Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ListingReports/ItemsListing.aspx.

 ‌www.findagrave.com. (n.d.). Raymond Tom Cupper (1920-2002) - Find a Grave... [online] Available at: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/202512343/raymond-tom-cupper [Accessed 5 May 2023].

 library.swanhill.vic.gov.au. (n.d.). Swan Hill Remembers. [online] Available at: https://library.swanhill.vic.gov.au/swan-hill-remembers/misc-and-graves.html [Accessed 5 May 2023].

 ‌library.swanhill.vic.gov.au. (n.d.). Swan Hill Remembers. [online] Available at: https://library.swanhill.vic.gov.au/swan-hill-remembers/uniforms.html [Accessed 5 May 2023].

 ‌www.ancestry.com.au. (n.d.). Raymond Tom Cupper 1920-2002 - Ancestry®. [online] Available at: https://www.ancestry.com.au/genealogy/records/raymond-tom-cupper-24-6551c5 [Accessed 5 May 2023].

 ‌vwma.org.au. (n.d.). Raymond Tom (Ray) CUPPER. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/805772 [Accessed 5 May 2023].