Raymond Brown Hesselyn
Born 13 Mar 1921 - Died 14 Nov 1963
- Service number
- WWII NZ404362 AWMM
- WWII 404362 AWMM
- Also known as
- Hesslyn AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Last rank
- Squadron Leader AWMM
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Raymond Brown AWMM
- Surname
- Hesselyn AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- Hesslyn AWMM
- Service number
- WWII NZ404362 AWMM
- WWII 404362 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 13 Mar 1921 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
- —
- Post war occupation
- —
- Next of kin
- —
- Relationship status
- —
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Service number
- WWII NZ404362 AWMM
- WWII 404362 AWMM
- Military service
- CO 41 Sqn RAF (Meteor) Mar-Apr 1951. AWMM
- New Zealand Army Territorial Force, 1st Battalion, Southland Regiment AWMM
- Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
- Royal Air Force AWMM
- Royal Air Force, No. 222 Squadron (Spitfire)Public - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - By Such Deeds, p.246: Hanson
- Royal Air Force, No. 249 Squadron (Spitfire)Public - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - By Such Deeds, p.246: Hanson
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) (Military) AWMM
- Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) AWMM
- 1939-1945 Star AWMM
- Air Crew Europe Star AWMM
- Africa Star AWMM
- Defence Medal AWMM
- War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
- New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
- Efficiency Medal AWMM
- Distinguished Flying Cross and bar (DFC*) AWMM
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- —
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- PilotPublic - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - By Such Deeds, p.246: Hanson
- Enlistment
- WW2 Machinist/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Sergeant AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- WW2
3 Oct 1943 AWMM - WW2 POW - Beauvais Hospital, Beauvais, France AWMM
03 Oct 1943-29 Oct 1943 AWMM - WW2
- WW2 POW - Dulag Luft, Oberursel, Germany AWMM
30 Oct 1943-06 Nov 1943 AWMM - WW2 POW - Stalag Luft I, Barth, Germany AWMM
11 Nov 1943-01 May 1945 AWMM - WW2 POW - Stalag Luft II, Łódź, Poland AWMM
- WW2 POW - Europe RNZAF AWMM
Oct 1943 AWMM
- WW2
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- —
Last known rank
- Last rank
- Squadron Leader AWMM
- Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Credited with the destruction of 18 enemy aircraft, one shared destroyed, two probably destroyed and seven damaged, whilst serving with 249 and 222 Sqns RAF (both Spitfire) in Malta and Europe.
He flew a Spitfire off the carrier HMS EAGLE to Malta in Mar 1942.
He completed at least 167 sorties before being shot down in flames and becoming a PoW.
Member of the ‘Caterpillar Club’.
Twice wounded.
Photograph [http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--93spmawDu0/UgGJTFKq70I/AAAAAAAAJnc/g3PKH93r5yY/s1600/Raymond+Brown+Hesselyn.jpg]
Attended Waitaki Boys' High School, Oamaru. AWMM - Efficiency Medal: 24th January 1949Public - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - By Such Deeds, p.246: Hanson
- Award dates:
DFM: 22nd May 1942
Bar to DFM: 29th May 1942
DFC: 26th October 1943
MBE: 28th December 1945Public - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - By Such Deeds, p.246: Hanson
- Credited with the destruction of 18 enemy aircraft, one shared destroyed, two probably destroyed and seven damaged, whilst serving with 249 and 222 Sqns RAF (both Spitfire) in Malta and Europe.
About death
- Death
- 14 Nov 1963 AWMM
Age 42 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
- Cancer of the stomachPublic - Kelvin - Researcher - 8 August 2018 - http://www.aircrewremembered.com/hesselyn-raymond-brown.html
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
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- Cemetery name
- Hillingdon and Uxbridge CemeteryPublic - Kelvin - Researcher - 8 August 2018 - http://www.aircrewremembered.com/hesselyn-raymond-brown.html
- Grave reference
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- Obituary
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- Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Sources
- External links
- London Gazette.
http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/home.aspx?geotype=London
Sources Used - National Archives (UK). Military History resources.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/militaryhistory/?WT.ac=MHhomepage
Sources Used - Flight Lieutenant R B Hesselyn (service number NZ404362).
Service: RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force].
Main report not distributed. App C only (List 23).
Appendix C Included.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14080876
Further Reference - Wikidata Entity
http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q7298621
Further Reference - List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Air Force Officers and OR's [Other Ranks], Prisoners of War in Europe and Far East, Archives New Zealand, R17845754, ADQA 17263 AIR118/107/76/6
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845754
Further Reference - Wikipedia contributors. (2025, November 15). List of World War II aces from New Zealand. In Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_aces_from_New_Zealand
Further Reference - Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_HesselynPublic - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - Internet search
- London Gazette.
- References
- Hanson, C. (2001). By such deeds: honours and awards in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, 1923-1999. Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
- Contact: national magazine of the R.N.Z.A.F.
May 1945, Volume 7, no. 5 - RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] - Historical Items - List of New Zealand Fighter aces with their Scores (Unofficial) December 1944. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845799).
- War Office. (1945). Germany and German occupied territories : imperial prisoners of war alphabetical list : section 8 : Air Forces. London, U.K.: Government Printer.
p.77 - List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Air Force Officers and OR's [Other Ranks], Prisoners of War in Europe and Far East, Archives New Zealand, R17845754, ADQA 17263 AIR118/107/76/6
- Royal New Zealand Air Force. (1941–1945). Contact: National magazine of the R.N.Z.A.F.; the official organ of the Air Force Association (Inc.). Levin, New Zealand: Royal New Zealand Air Force.
V4,n6,p69, V7,n4,p61 v7,n5,p16 v5,n2.p21 - Mason, W.W. (1954) Prisoners of war. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
- McDonald, K. C. (1958). A history of Waitaki Boys’ High School, 1883-1958. Christchurch [N.Z.] : Whitcombe and Tombs.
- Hess: A Kiwi Malta Ace: Sutherland, JamesPublic - Antonio - Researcher - 22 September 2025 - Personal copy
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