Gordon Raphael

Gordon Raphael, (25 August 1915 – 11 April 1945) was a Canadian flying ace who served with the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He was credited with having shot down at least seven aircraft.

Born in Brantford, Raphael joined the RAF in 1936 and was serving in Bomber Command on the outbreak of the Second World War. He flew Armstrong Whitworth Whitley bombers with Nos. 77 and 10 Squadrons during the early stages of the war, and was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). In early 1941 he was transferred to night fighting duties. He achieved most of his aerial victories during the Blitz on London, many with his radar operator William Addison, and was awarded a Bar to his DFC. In May 1942, he was appointed to command of No. 85 Squadron, overseeing the unit's conversion to de Havilland Mosquito night fighters. Awarded the Distinguished Service Order in February 1943, he held base postings for most of the remainder of the war. Appointed commander of Biggin Hill station in February 1945, he was killed in a flying accident when his Supermarine Spitfire fighter collided with a transport aircraft.

Early life Gordon Learmouth Raphael was born on 25 August 1915 to Howard Raphael, a doctor, and his wife in Brantford, a city in the Ontario province of Canada. Raphael went to school in Quebec City and in 1934, went to England for tertiary study. He desired a career in aviation design and commenced studies at the Chelsea College of Aeronautical and Automobile Engineering. He gave this up the following year and joined the Royal Air Force (RAF) on a short service commission. After completing his initial training, he was commissioned as an acting pilot officer in January 1936. His initial posting was to No. 7 Squadron, which was based at Finningley Yorkshire and operated the Handley Page Heyford, an all-metal biplane night bomber. Further missions followed, including two long-range sorties to Poland which entailed refuelling stops in France. Buoyed by the news of his award, he flew a sortie the night following the announcement even though he was due to stand down. While flying to his target, an oil refinery near Hannover in Germany, his Whitley was intercepted by a Messerschmitt Bf 110 night fighter. The attack badly damaged the aircraft although Raphael's rear gunner claimed to have destroyed the Bf 110 as it passed to the rear of the Whitley. Raphael ditched the aircraft in the North Sea and he and his crew were recovered by the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Javelin after a few hours floating in a dinghy. Raphael was wounded in the feet during the engagement and had to be hospitalised for two months. During his recuperation he was promoted to flight lieutenant.

Once Raphael recovered from his wounds, he returned to operational duties in August with No. 10 Squadron, again flying Whitleys. He only flew ten sorties, and on one of these his Whitley was again targeted by a night fighter but it was driven off. He was then posted away on instructing duties at the School of General Reconnaissance. In early September Raphael was promoted to temporary squadron leader and given command of one of No. 85 Squadron's flights. He shot down a Ju 88 night fighter over Clacton on the night of 16 September. In February Raphael was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).

Later war service Raphael was briefly the station commander at RAF Castle Camps in Cambridgeshire and then from April 1943 he was in charge at RAF Manston in Kent. During Operation Diver, the RAF's campaign against the V-1 flying bombs launched at England from France in June and July 1944, Raphael occasionally flew Mosquitos on interception missions; he destroyed one V-1 on the night of 29 June and a second on 6 July. In February 1945, Raphael was promoted to group captain and given command of the RAF station at Biggin Hill.

On 11 April 1945, Raphael was killed in a midair collision of his Supermarine Spitfire fighter with an American Curtiss C-46 Commando transport aircraft over the southeast of England. Survived by his wife and son, Raphael is buried at Cudham Churchyard in Orpington. He is credited with the shooting down of seven aircraft as well as one aircraft probably destroyed and one damaged. Additionally, he destroyed two V-1 flying bombs.