"Group Captain Ray Price, , who has died aged 93, was an RAF navigator who flew many low-level anti-shipping strikes; with his New Zealand pilot, Wing Commander Bill Sise, he formed one of Coastal Command’s most formidable partnerships. In April 1944 Price and the highly decorated Sise teamed up and joined No 235 Squadron at Portreath in Cornwall, initially flying the Beaufighter then the Mosquito. They led many strikes against shipping in the Bay of Biscay and in the entrances to French ports. They led a devastating attack from mast-height against minesweepers in the Gironde estuary, during which the canopy of their Mosquito was shattered by anti-aircraft fire. After a difficult return flight, they landed safely in Cornwall. On June 6, as the Allied forces landed in Normandy, Price and his pilot flew on patrols off Brest during an operation to prevent German Navy surface forces harassing the huge Allied armada approaching Normandy. Once German forces had been swept from France, the squadron moved to Banff in northern Scotland to begin concentrated attacks against the convoys using the Norwegian fjords for shelter. Sise had been appointed to command No 248 Squadron. As the most experienced pilot in the Banff Wing, he led many attacks often involving three squadrons. This placed great responsibility on Price whose navigation across the North Sea had to be perfect. On one occasion they led 87 Beaufighters and Mosquitos on a strike to Alesund, a complex operation requiring pinpoint navigation to succeed. Leading an attack against a convoy in Florø harbour, an engine of their Mosquito was set on fire by flak but they pressed home their attack before returning 400 miles across the North Sea. Soon after this operation, Price was awarded the DFC and Sise received a Bar to an earlier DFC. Throughout the winter of 1944-45, the two men continued to lead attacks against shipping sheltering in the lee of high mountains. These had to be made in a steep dive down the sides of precipitous cliffs in the face of intense opposition. They led 36 Mosquitos into Nordgulen Fjord to attack a convoy when almost all the ships were hit by rockets and cannon fire leaving two ships burning furiously. The anti-aircraft fire from heavily armed minesweeper escorts was intense and losses on these sorties were high. The Banff Wing took a considerable toll of shipping destined for Germany in what has since been described as “The Forgotten Offensive.” At the end of February, Price and his pilot were finally rested. The citation for the Bar to his DFC mentioned Price’s faultless navigation in difficult circumstances and described him as “a courageous member of crew”. Sise was awarded a Bar to an earlier DSO. Raymond George Price was born on January 9 1922 in Gloucester and was educated at the local Central School and Technical College. He joined the RAF as a boy entrant in February 1939 and trained as a ground wireless operator. In 1941 he volunteered for aircrew duties and trained as an observer." http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/12039498/Group-Captain-Ray-Price-RAF-navigator-obituary.html
Respect. And condolences to the family. A remarkable contribution to the war effort. Gone, but not to be forgotten.
