Documents - Malcolm Ravenhill

Record of Service

Flying Officer Malcolm Ravenhill’s Record of Service, obtained from the Ministry of Defence in 1986. He was promoted to a Flying Officer 3rd September 1940, but due to the time taken for this promotion to officially come through some printed material still refers to his rank as Pilot Officer at the time of his death.

View Record of Service

Combat Report 17th May 1940 (Moorsele, Belgium)

Copy of a Combat Report kindly supplied by Mr Lothair Vanoverbeke in August 1992. At the time he was researching the history of his local airfield in Moorsele, Belgium, for his forthcoming book (which I have since learnt has done very well). He discovered that Malcolm Ravenhill was based there in May 1940 with two other pilots from 229 Squadron, attached to 615 Squadron to assist with the Battle of France; the Combat Report was written 20th May 1940, relating to activity three days previously. Within the report Malcolm claims to have shot down 2 Henschel 126 aircraft (1 inconclusive).

View Combat Report 17/05/1940

View Combat Report 17/05/1940 (transcribed)

Combat Report 11th September 1940 (Reigate, UK)

The report details 229 Squadron’s first major action over Reigate since isolated interception raids at Dunkirk. Malcolm is reported as being in hospital, suffering from shock after bailing out. 12 Hurricanes left Northolt, 10 returned. Further details of the incident are in the second combat report for that day (see below).

View Combat Report 11/09/1940

Supplementary Combat Report 11th September 1940 (Reigate, UK)

Supplementary intelligence patrol report to compliment the report above, detailing how Pilot Officer Ravenhill was temporarily blinded by glycol spurting from his port main following damage from an unknown assailant during combat over Reigate. It also details how Pilot Officer Carver was forced to bail out after his Hurricane burst into flames following an attack on an He.111.

View Supplementary Combat Report 11/09/1940

Operations Record Book (ORB) Extract for 11th September 1940

Three pages extracted from the ORB relating to 11th September 1940. The document summarises events from 9th September to 15th September. It records on the 11th September 1940 at 15:20 that P/O Ravenhill had to bale out after his Hurricane (P3038) was hit by enemy machine gun fire. He was admitted to Langley Hospital in Shorncliffe, suffering from shock. On the 15th September he rejoined the Squadron from hospital, his only injuries being a sprained elbow and bruises around the eyes.

View ORB for 11/09/1940

Air Ministry Accident Branch Report 12th September 1940

Letter from 229 Squadron Leader (Banham) to the Air Ministry Accident Branch, 12th September 1940, reporting incidents on the 11th September regarding P/O Carver, Flt Lt Rimmer and P/O Ravenhill (see combat reports above).
Kindly sent to me by Edward McManus at the Battle of Britain London Monument 29/09/2019.

View Accident Branch Report 12/09/1940

Combat Report 27th September 1940 (S.E. of London, UK)

Written just 3 days before his death, P/O Ravenhill details attacking a formation of Heinkel He 111s with 229 Squadron (B Flight) and damages one of them, with pieces of the aircraft breaking away and oil covering his own aircraft.

View Combat Report 27/09/1940

Operations Record Book (ORB) Extract for 30th September 1940

Two pages extracted from the ORB relating to 30th September 1940. The document records how 229 Squadron, in company with No. 1 Squadron (Canadian), encountered a formation of some 50 Messerschmitt ME 109’s. The ME 109’s attacked the squadron in small groups, breaking up the formation. Four aircraft from 229 Squadron crashed, with 3 pilots surviving after receiving bullet wounds. Sadly P/O Ravenhill didn’t survive – his aircraft was set on fire and crashed at Ightham. The report states that it is believed he was mortally wounded in the air.

View ORB for 30/09/1940

London Gazette (Air Ministry Announcements)

3 pages from The London Gazette announcing Malcolm’s progress within the RAF: 7th May 1938 granted short service commission as an Acting Pilot Officer on probation, 13th May 1939 graded as a Pilot Officer, 3rd September 1940 promoted to Flying Officer.

View London Gazette