Identity
Title
Forenames
Raymond Thomson AWMM
Surname
Porter AWMM
Ingoa
Also known as
Ray AWMM
Service number
14265 AWMM
Gender
Iwi
Hapū
Waka
Rohe
Religion
Civilian life
Birth
Date of birth
Place of birth
Birth notes
Address before enlistment
Unknown AWMM 172 Lowe Street, Gisborne, New Zealand AWMM
Post war occupation
Next of kin on embarkation
Mr F.E. Porter (father), Hautaroa, Tokomaru Bay, East Coast, New Zealand AWMM
Relationship status
Service
Capture details
- WW2 POW - Capua AWMM
Mechili, Libya AWMM
22 Nov 1941-29 April 1945 AWMM
Road watching, Long Range Desert Group AWMM - WW2 POW - Padula AWMM
- WW2 POW - Stalag VII-A Moosburg (Isar), Germany AWMM
- WW2 POW - Weinsberg AWMM
- WW2
13 December 1941 AWMM - WW2 POW - Oflag 5A, Weinberg (Wurtemburg), Germany 2NZEF, Germany and German occupied territories : imperial prisoners of war alphabetical list : section 4. N.Z. 1945.
Germany, Europe 2NZEF, Germany and German occupied territories : imperial prisoners of war alphabetical list : section 4. N.Z. 1945.
Days interned
Liberation date
Liberation Repatriation
WW2 29 April 1945 AWMM
POW liberation details
POW serial number
WWII 28528 AWMM
Medical notes
- Height, Unknown Period AWMM
6 feet AWMM - Eye colour, Unknown Period AWMM
Blue AWMM - Died of Disease, Cause of Death AWMM
Cancer AWMM
Biographical information
Raymond (Ray) Porter was taken by the Italians to Bengazi, where he met his brother, Major Frank Porter (4787), who was also taken POW. They and several other officers hatched a plan to steal a truck and escape.
As Porter had a slight knowledge of the area, he was made a temporary officer. Unfortunately, things didn't work out and they were shipped to Italy on a destroyer.
Porter stayed an officer while a POW - partly because the Germans did not insist the officers work - and studied German while in Italy. He became camp interpreter when they were moved to Germany.
Raymond (Ray) Porter and his brother Francis (Frank) Robert Porter (4787) managed to stay together for the duration of their captivity, which was great for their morale as they were able to share letters and parcels.
Two other brothers also served in the Pacific.
Ray married in 1947 and had two sons.
Listed as a POW 13 December 1941 as Temporary Lance Corporal in New Zealand, 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force. [1945]. Germany and German occupied territories
The Auckland Museum Library's manuscripts collection holds papers relating to Porter's war service. [Ref. MS 200/24] AWMM
Roll of Honour
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Raymond Thomson Porter
Processing
Sources
External links
Documents
- L.R.D.G. Membership Roll February 1970. Long Range Desert Group (N.Z. Association). Auckland Museum EPH-W2-11-27. AWMM
- Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 3 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1940 to 31st March, 1941). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
WW2 3: WW2 383 AWMM - The New Zealand Herald AWMM
Death notice: 21 December 1985 AWMM - Porter, Raymond Thomson. Papers relating to war service, 1941 - 1947. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2006-24. AWMM
- List of 2NZEF Prisoners of War. 1941-1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 2009/8. AWMM
- Great Britain Army. (1945). Germany and German occupied territories : imperial prisoners of war alphabetical list : section 4. London, U.K.: Government Printer. AWMM
- L.R.D.G. Membership Roll February 1970. Long Range Desert Group (N.Z. Association). Auckland Museum EPH-W2-11-27. AWMM
- O'Carroll, B. (2000). The Kiwi scorpions : the story of the New Zealanders in the Long Range Desert Group. Devon, England: Token Publishing. AWMM
- Loughnan, R. (1963). Divisional Cavalry. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
- Information kindly provided by family AWMM
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