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Kenneth Rayment
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Kenneth Rayment
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Kenneth Gordon Rayment, DFC (11 March 1921 – 15 March 1958) was a British pilot and decorated Second World War flying ace. On 6 February 1958, he was the co-pilot of BEA flight 609 that was to carry the Manchester United football team and journalists from West Germany to England but which crashed on take-off. This became known as the Munich air disaster. Rayment survived the crash, but died five weeks later of his injuries.[1]

Key Information

Early life and education

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Rayment was born on 11 March 1921 in Wanstead, Essex, England. He was brought up in Woodford Green. In 1937, after leaving school, he joined the Merchant Navy. He served as a deck officer on a route between England and Argentina.[2]

RAF service

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On 15 October 1940, Rayment joined the ranks of the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve (RAFVR).[2] In March 1941, he started his pilot training with 17 Elementary Flying Training School.[2] He was then promoted to sergeant and sent to Canada to continue his training at 37 Service Flying Training School.[2]

On 1 September 1941, Rayment was commissioned into the RAFVR as a pilot officer (on probation).[3] After spending three months at 56 Operational Training Unit based at RAF Sutton Bridge, in December 1941 he was assigned to No. 153 Squadron RAF.[2] After a few days, he was sent to 62 Operational Training Unit to train as a night fighter pilot.[2] He rejoined No. 153 Squadron in February 1942, and flew Bristol Beaufighters.[2] Between May and August 1942, he was once more training with 62 Operational Training Unit.[2] He then rejoined No. 153 Squadron after leaving the OTU.[2] His commission was confirmed on 1 September 1942.[4]

In December 1942, Rayment was posted to North Africa with his squadron.[2] He was promoted to war substantive flying officer in May 1943.[5] On 2 June 1943, it was announced that he had been mentioned in despatches.[6] On 27 July 1943, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC).[7] Between July and September 1943, having left No. 153 Squadron, he was stationed in Reghaïa, Algeria.[2]

In September 1943, Rayment returned to England from North Africa.[2] He was promoted to flight lieutenant (war substantive) on 1 September 1943.[8] From September 1943 to April 1944, he was an instructor with 51 Operational Training Unit, based at RAF Cranfield.[2] He then joined No. 264 Squadron RAF, a squadron flying De Havilland Mosquitos.[2] He was posted to France with his squadron in August 1944.[2] His last operational flight in a Mosquito occurred on 20 September 1944. He remained in France until November 1944.[2] He was then seconded to the British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC), and flew Lockheed Model 18 Lodestars until the end of the war in 1945.[2]

By the end of the Second World War, Rayment had become a flying ace. He had shot down five German fighters, one Italian plane, and a V-1 flying bomb.[2]

Civilian career

[edit]

In 1945, Rayment joined British European Airways (BEA) as a pilot. In his early career with BEA, he flew Airspeed Consuls, Dakotas, and Vickers Vikings. In 1953, he started flying Airspeed Ambassadors and Vickers Viscounts as a senior captain.[2] By 1958, he was considering retiring from flying and becoming a farmer. This was after Rayment had to recuperate from his piloting duties for BEA, following a hernia operation in late 1957.[2]

Munich air disaster

[edit]
Main article: Munich air disaster

On 6 February 1958, Rayment was the second pilot of a charted flight that was to bring the Manchester United football team, supporters and journalists from Germany back to England. BEA flight 609 crashed on its third attempt to take-off from a slush-covered runway at Munich-Riem Airport, West Germany.[2]

Rayment was knocked unconscious during the crash, and had a broken leg, plus head injuries.[2] Having been rescued from the wreckage, he was taken to Rechts der Isar Hospital in Munich.[2] By 12 February, he was being kept in an oxygen tent.[9] Having never regained consciousness, he died of his injuries on 15 March 1958, aged 37. He was the second crew member to die due to injuries received in the crash at Munich.[2]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Kenneth Rayment

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from Grokipedia
Kenneth Gordon Rayment (11 March 1921 – 15 March 1958) was a British officer and during the Second , credited with the destruction of six enemy aircraft and one , as well as damaging another aircraft. Born in , , , Rayment was the youngest of three children to Leonard Rayment and Elsie Rayment (née Kirk). He joined the Volunteer Reserve on 15 October 1940, receiving service number 108000, and served with 153 Squadron and 264 Squadron in operations across and . For his wartime contributions, he was mentioned in despatches on 2 June 1943 and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on 27 July 1943. After the war, Rayment transitioned to civilian aviation, initially flying for in 1945 before joining in 1946, where he piloted aircraft such as the until his death. On 6 February 1958, he was involved in the as the co-pilot on a flight that crashed during takeoff from , , suffering severe injuries from which he died on 15 March 1958. Rayment married Edith May Grenville Levason in 1946, and they had two children: Stephen, born in 1948, who later became a pilot, and Judith, born in 1951. His older brother Douglas also served as a Hurricane pilot in the .

Early life and family

Birth and upbringing

Kenneth Gordon Rayment was born on 11 March 1921 in , , , the son of Rayment and Elsie Rayment (née ). He was the youngest of three children; his older brother Douglas Rayment served as a Hurricane pilot in the and was awarded the Cross before dying in July 1941. Rayment attended local schools until 1937. After leaving school, Rayment pursued an early career in the , joining in 1937 as a deck officer on vessels operating the England-Argentina route, a vital trade link for British shipping interests at the time. He served in this role until 1940, gaining practical experience at sea during a period when maritime service provided one of stable employment avenues for young men in coastal and suburban regions like . In October 1940, as intensified, Rayment left the Merchant Navy to enlist in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

Marriage and children

Following his service in the Second World War, Kenneth Rayment married Edith May Grenville Levason on 16 March 1946 at St Lawrence Church in Chesham Bois, near , . The , which took place shortly after the war's end, marked the beginning of his post-war family life. The couple had two children: a , Stephen Grenville Rayment, born in 1948, and a , Judith Anne Rayment, born in 1951. In the years after the war, Rayment balanced his career with family responsibilities, showing interest in pursuits outside flying. By 1958, as his children approached their teenage years, he planned to retire from piloting to pursue chicken farming, even arranging a flight to consult a fellow pilot who had transitioned to farming.

Military career

Training and early service

Kenneth Rayment's pre-war service as a deck hand in the , during a period of intense threats to Allied shipping, motivated his enlistment in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve on 15 October 1940. Rayment began his pilot training in March 1941 at No. 17 Elementary Flying Training School, where he received initial instruction in basic flight maneuvers and solo flying, primarily using biplanes. He progressed to advanced training in at No. 32 Service Flying Training School in , , starting later that year; there, he honed skills in , , and instrument navigation on aircraft such as the North American Harvard, graduating at the top of his course. During this overseas phase, Rayment was promoted to sergeant before being commissioned as a in the General Duties Branch on 1 September 1941, with seniority dated from that month. Upon returning to the in September 1941, Rayment completed operational training at No. 56 Operational Training Unit at , , focusing on fighter tactics and night flying familiarization. He then underwent further training at No. 62 Operational Training Unit at East Fortune starting in December 1941. In December 1941, he was assigned to No. 153 Squadron, a unit equipped with Beaufighters, where he undertook non-operational duties such as aircraft conversion training and familiarization flights through early 1942. Rayment advanced to on 1 September 1942, maintaining war substantive rank thereafter. As the war progressed, Rayment took on instructional roles, serving from September 1943 to April 1944 at No. 51 Operational Training Unit at , , where he trained new pilots in Beaufighter handling and radar-assisted interceptions. Toward the war's conclusion, in November 1944, he was seconded to the (BOAC) to ferry personnel and supplies, piloting Lockheed Model 18 Lodestars on transatlantic routes until the end of 1945.

Combat operations and awards

In 1943, Rayment served with No. 153 Squadron in North Africa, flying Bristol Beaufighter night fighters on intruder and patrol missions over Tunisia and surrounding areas. His operations involved engaging enemy bomber formations and convoys under challenging conditions, including poor visibility and anti-aircraft fire. On the night of 16 May 1943, he intercepted an enemy formation over Tunisia, destroying a Junkers Ju 88 and a Heinkel He 111 in quick succession. Seven days later, on 23 May, he downed another Ju 88 and damaged a second during a similar engagement, showcasing his precision in night combat. These actions contributed to his tally of six enemy aircraft destroyed, including the Italian Savoia-Marchetti S.M.79 on another sortie. Rayment's determination in these hazardous missions earned him recognition early in his operational career. On 2 June 1943, he was mentioned in despatches for gallantry in air operations. Later that month, following 45 sorties totaling 99 operational hours, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, gazetted on 27 July 1943 for his "skill and determination" in executing duties despite adverse weather and enemy opposition. Concurrent with his growing combat record, Rayment was promoted to on 1 September 1943. In April 1944, Rayment transferred to No. 264 Squadron, equipped with night fighters, conducting intruder patrols and defensive operations over occupied . Deployed on 11 , he flew missions targeting German airfields and transport until his final on 20 September 1944. During this period, he destroyed a , adding to his wartime achievements. These successes across both squadrons established Rayment as a with six confirmed aircraft victories.

Post-war aviation career

Employment with British European Airways

Following his demobilization from the Royal Air Force at the end of , Kenneth Rayment transferred to (BEA) in 1946, coinciding with the airline's foundation as the national carrier for European services. His wartime experience as a decorated qualified him for immediate operational roles in civilian aviation, where he began flying Oxfords and Douglas Dakotas on short-haul routes until 1947. Rayment's career at BEA progressed steadily through increasingly advanced aircraft, reflecting his growing expertise in commercial operations. From 1947, he transitioned to Vickers Vikings, piston-engine airliners used for regional flights across Europe. By March 1953, he advanced to the , a larger propeller-driven type suited for medium-haul services, before qualifying on the —the BEA "Elizabethan" class—in the mid-1950s. As a senior captain on the by this period, Rayment handled responsibilities on key European routes, including routine charters for high-profile passengers such as the Manchester United football team, amassing over 3,000 flying hours and maintaining an exemplary safety record free of prior incidents. In late 1957, Rayment underwent surgery, which required a period of recovery and temporarily limited his duties, positioning him as co-pilot rather than captain on subsequent flights. Despite this health setback, he returned to active service, demonstrating resilience in his commitment to BEA's demanding schedule of safe, reliable operations across the .

Involvement in the Munich air disaster

Kenneth Rayment, a senior captain with (BEA), was assigned as co-pilot but took the controls as the pilot flying for BEA Flight 609, a service transporting the Manchester United football team and staff back to following their European Cup quarter-final match against in on 5 February 1958. The Airspeed Ambassador G-ALZU, a four-engine piston aircraft, departed Belgrade at approximately 13:44 local time and arrived at Munich-Riem Airport for a scheduled refueling stop amid deteriorating weather conditions, including falling snow and temperatures around -7°C (19°F), which had led to slush accumulation of 15-18 cm (6-7 inches) on the 1,323-meter runway. With 36 passengers and 6 crew aboard, Rayment and Captain James Thain (acting as co-pilot) initiated the first takeoff attempt at 14:25, but aborted after 40 seconds upon Rayment detecting boost surging in the left engine, a fluctuation in manifold pressure that risked engine failure. A second attempt at 14:50 was similarly abandoned for the same issue, with the aircraft reaching only about 80% of takeoff speed before Rayment applied brakes to halt on the slush-covered surface. Concerned about running low on de-icing fluid and facing potential delays, the proceeded with a third takeoff at 15:03 despite the persistent and no further clearing. The accelerated down the , but the caused significant drag, preventing it from reaching the required 117 knots for ; as the end of the approached, Rayment called for undercarriage retraction in an effort to reduce drag and shouted a warning of the impending crash. The plane veered left off the at low speed, tore through a wire , clipped a house, and plowed into a snowbank, where the left wing separated and ruptured a ; moments later, it collided with a , igniting a fireball that engulfed the . The resulted in 23 fatalities among the 44 people on board. In the crash, Rayment suffered a broken , lacerations to his left , , and severe head trauma, leaving him unconscious at the scene.

Death and legacy

Final days and funeral

Following the on 6 February 1958, co-pilot Kenneth Rayment was rescued from the wreckage in an unconscious state and rushed to in for emergency treatment. He suffered severe , a broken that required , and internal injuries, which left him comatose throughout his hospitalization. Rayment remained under intensive care at the hospital for the next five weeks, where medical staff monitored complications from his head trauma and surgical interventions, but he never regained consciousness. The official accident investigation noted that his condition prevented any regarding the crash events, and he ultimately succumbed to the serious injuries sustained in the incident. On 15 March 1958, exactly 37 days after the crash, Rayment died at age 37, becoming the 23rd and final fatality attributed to the disaster. Rayment's wife, Edith May Grenville Rayment (née Levason), whom he had married in early 1946, was informed of his critical condition and death; the couple had two young children at the time, son Stephen Grenville (born 1948) and daughter Judith Anne (born 1951). His estate was probated in on 24 April 1958, indicating arrangements for repatriation and final disposition in the , though specific details of the service, attendees, or site remain undocumented in . No honors were explicitly recorded for the proceedings, despite Rayment's Distinguished Flying Cross from service.

Commemoration and tributes

Kenneth Rayment is commemorated annually as one of the victims of the Munich air disaster through services organized by Manchester United at Old Trafford, where wreaths are laid and a two-minute silence is observed at 3:04 p.m., marking the exact time of the crash. These events, coordinated with the Munich58 group and open to fans, include readings, poems, and the singing of "The Flowers of Manchester," honoring the crew members alongside the players and staff. Rayment, identified as the plane's co-pilot and the final casualty, receives a dedicated profile in the club's "Munich Remembered" online archive, which highlights his wartime service and bravery during the incident. His status as a , credited with the destruction of six enemy aircraft, including one , as well as damaging another aircraft, is recognized in histories, notably in Aces High: A Tribute to the Highest Scoring Fighter Pilots of the in WW2 by Christopher Shores and Clive Williams, which details his contributions with No. 153 Squadron in . Rayment's Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), awarded in 1943 for 45 operational sorties, is frequently noted in RAF veteran records and disaster retrospectives, underscoring his dual legacy as a decorated pilot and professional. The Munich disaster's broader impact on , including enhanced de-icing procedures, runway clearance standards, and pilot training protocols, forms part of Rayment's enduring legacy, as inquiries into the crash—caused by slush on the runway—led to regulatory changes by the . While Rayment's specific role as co-pilot during the fatal takeoff is cited in these discussions, his death five weeks later from injuries symbolized the human cost driving these reforms. In 21st-century media and literature, Rayment appears in accounts of both the disaster and WWII pilots, such as Frank Taylor's The Munich Air Disaster (1969, reissued editions) and recent analyses like Gary James' 2025 retrospective, which portray him as an experienced RAF whose service bridged wartime heroism and . These references emphasize his duty in modern commemorative narratives.

References

  1. https://one-name.org/service_story/kenneth-gordon-rayment/
  2. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f30ae5274a131700045b/CAP_292_G-ALZU_6_Feb_1958_Elizabethan_Munich_1965_2nd_German_Acc_Report.pdf
  3. https://www.unithistories.com/officers/RAFVR_officers_R01.html
  4. http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~macculloch/genealogy/p136.htm
  5. https://www.lookandlearn.com/blog/14408/tragedy-struck-the-manchester-united-football-team-in-munich/
  6. https://www.manutd.com/en/history/munich-remembered/the-men-we-lost/crew-and-civilians
  7. https://sportingintelligence832.substack.com/p/john-roberts-the-the-pilot-on-that-fateful-flight-in-munich-was-unfairly-blamed-one-twilight-in-1974-he-told-me-his-story-240402
  8. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422ef2ded915d1374000275/CAP_167_G-ALZU_6_Feb_1958_Elizabethan_Munich_1960_1st_UK_Acc_Report.pdf
  9. https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-airspeed-as57-ambassador-2-munich-23-killed
  10. https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5422f1ebed915d137100039d/CAP_153_G-ALZU_6_Feb_1958_Elizabethan_Munich_1959_1st_German_Acc_Report.pdf
  11. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5187460/2024/02/06/munich-air-disaster-manchester-united-crash/
  12. http://www.englandfootballonline.com/Seas1946-60/1957-58/M0317Munich1958.html
  13. https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~macculloch/genealogy/p101.htm
  14. https://www.manutd.com/en/news/detail/how-man-utd-is-marking-the-munich-air-disaster-anniversary-today-6-february-2024
  15. https://www.aviationfile.com/munich-air-disaster-the-tragic-event-of-february-6-1958/
  16. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/comment/the-munich-air-disaster-and-its-safety-legacy/
  17. https://gjfootballarchive.com/2025/02/06/the-munich-air-disaster-a-long-read-2/
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