Ray Cranch
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7 January 1923[1]
Ray Cranch | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | Raymond James Cranch 7 January 1923[1] New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 13 October 2021 (aged 98) Auckland, New Zealand | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Prop | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Raymond James Cranch MNZM (7 January 1923 – 13 October 2021) was a New Zealand rugby league footballer who represented New Zealand. He also served in WWII, training in Maardi in Egypt and fighting in Monte Cassino in Italy. He received a Year of the Veteran Certificate of Appreciation for his Service given to New Zealand during World War II by the Rt Honourable Helen Clark, Prime Minister.
When war was declared in 1939, Cranch was an apprentice with Charles Day and Sons on Khyber Pass Road in Auckland. Cranch and his friend Russell Gribbel jumped on their bikes and cycled over to Pompalier Street to sign up for the territorials. Cranch gave a false age as he was 16, whereas the age limit was 18. He was posted to the 1st field regiment in NZ artillery. The camp was at the Avondale Racecourse. They then travelled to Rotorua where they had another camp in Arawa park at the racecourse, then they did a trek down to Waiouru. He attended Narrow Neck Infantry School for gas and weapons training - e.g. pistol and 303 Lee Enfield. A year later he was asked to be a lance bombardier and go to the training camp in Rotorua. He finished with his apprenticeship (12 shillings a week) and went full time with the army (7 shillings a day). The lance bombardier role meant he was second in command of a gun crew of six. He was the gunner that serviced the guns and shells.
Cranch came back into the army just before Pearl Harbor in December 1941. He was in a camp at Hopuhopu near Ngaruawahia and in the morning had to dig trenches in the gum trees in case they were attacked by the Japanese. The regiment went to the Bombay area in Auckland where they carried out exercises for another year. He was picked for OCTU (Officer Cadet Training Unit) and was promoted to a gun sergeant whereby commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant.