Biographical account of Ray Goddard:

Served with New Zealand Army, later enlisted with the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Married a trained nurse Pamela Kirkby on the 8th of April, 1950. Twins born in 1952, a boy and a girl. Their son, John, qualified as a Lawyer, and Janet their daughter, a trained Nurse. Ray's Father was a commerical beekeeper.
After his WW2 service, he joined the Agricultural Dept and served as an apiary instructor for 8 years before leaving to start a commericial apiary business.

After 4 years Ray began a bookselling career which lasted 30 years. 23 years were spent as an executive on the N.Z. Booksellers Council - 3 of those as president. In 1984, Ray was awarded a certificate for outstanding service to the retail bookselling trade. Then, as a chairman of the Book Marketing Council (a joint publishing & Bookseller organisation), in 1985 he was elected to lifetime membership. The only bookseller ever to be given such an honour.

In sports, Ray was a Bay of Plenty Rugby representative.

Retired in Taupo 1988.

Written onboard the HMS Gambia. On August 27th, 1945, we had last received orders to move into Japanese waters….It was a slow journey and an anxious few hours. We were all at action stations with guns loaded and ready to hit pre-selected targets. Apart from the concern of mine fields everyone thought a last ditch all out attach by suicide planes was a distinct possibility. Our aircraft carriers with their destroyer escorts stayed well out to sea but sent hundreds of planes to give us added protection. After so long at sea constantly on the alert, with the ship pitching and rolling in heavy seas the tranquility of being at anchor was intensely moving and enhanced by a glorious sunset against the backdrop of Mt Fujiyama. Then as the sun went down and sounds of the ships bugle echoed across the bay all sailors on deck stood to attention, faced aft and saluted as our flag was lowered for the day. Very very emotional! The war had really ended!

Ships served with
H.M.S Saunders - Egypt
H.M.S. Assegai - Durban, South Africa
H.M.S. Lanka - Ceylon
H.M.N.Z. Gambia (June 1944 - 10th Jan 1946). AWMM