Back to search results
Detail victim
Personal data
- RABY
- LF
- LAURENCE FREDERICK
- Westcliff-on-Sea
- Essex, England
- Son of Frederick and Edna Raby, of 2, Rochford Avenue, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex. He is commemorated on the Prittlewell War Memorial and on his parent's grave in Sutton Road Cemetery. The inscription reads as follows:” …ALSO OF LAURENCE FREDERICK RABY 2ND LIEUT. RAF. KILLED IN FLANDERS 9TH OCTOBER 1918 AGED 19 YEARS BURIED AT POPERINGHE…”
- Southend High School
- British Aluminium Co., Queen Victoria Street, London E.C.
- His Captain wrote: 'It is with the deepest regret that I write this letter to tell you your son was killed this morning while flying over the lines. He and his pilot Lieut. Brown were attacked by six enemy scouts, and your son put up an extraordinary fight against far superior numbers. He fired three drums into the attacking machines before he was hit fatally and his pilot seriously wounded. They were forced to land amongst the infantry right away and he was then dead, so that death must have come to him instantly and without pain. His loss to the squadron, both personally and as an observer will be very great. His keenness and cheerfulness under all circumstances were marked, and his trust in his pilot made the two of them an ideal pair. They had together been recommended to go to a special flight of pilots and observers picked from the wing - a few out of a considerable number - so you can gauge how well he was thought of. To me, as senior observer in my flight, he will be very hard to replace, and from a personal point of view I can never hope to get a better fellow in any way.'
Military service
- July 1917
- Second Lieutenant
- 53rd Squadron Royal Air Force (Flying Corps)
- After training at Hastings was commissioned at Winchester in April 1918, going to France in the following June.
Death
- In the morning of 9 October; neutralizing fire patrol; combat of their RE8 D6804 with enemy aircraft, 6.30 a.m.; he fired three drums into the attacking machines before he was hit fatally and his pilot seriously wounded (died afterwards and is buried in Lijssenthoek).
- Killed in action
- 9 October 1918
- 19
- XXX - B - 4
Media
