THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT

RAGG Gordon Wilmot

Q79479, Wing Commander, Royal New Zealand Air Force

CITATION

Air Force Cross

Gazetted 10 June 1983, Supp 49376, p37

Wing Commander Ragg joined the RNZAF in 1958 as a trainee pilot. After flying appointments at Ohakea and Wigram he was posted to No.40 Squadron and became one of the first pilots to train on Hercules aircraft in the United States. Between 1973 and 1977 he served in staff appointments at Defence Headquarters and as Commanding officer, RNZAF Base Shelly Bay. Following his extensive transport experience, he transferred to the Maritime role in 1977 and assumed command of No 5 Squadron. In 1981 he was appointed Officer Commanding Maritime Operations Wing.

Wing Commander Ragg is one of RNZAF’s most experienced and capable pilots. He played a major part in the introduction of the Hercules aircraft into service and bore much responsibility for setting the high operating standards achieved in the first decade of its RNZAF service and which prevails in No 40 Squadron today.

After converting to the maritime role he guided No 5 Squadron through difficult times when the unit suffered critical shortages of trained and experienced aircrews and when aircraft availability presented serious problems.  By his personal example in the air and by his qualities of leadership on the ground, Wing Commander Ragg ensured that in addition to the competent handling of assigned tasks, unexpected emergency situations were met and, despite the often high demands imposed upon all squadron personnel, that morale was maintained at a high level.  It is a testimony to the operational standards that Wing Commander Ragg had set and to the efforts he has inspired in his crews that twice in the past three years the RNZAF has been successful in winning the international Fincastle Trophy competition for anti-submarine warfare proficiency whereas the trophy had proved elusive for the previous 16 years.

Wing Commander Ragg was CO 5 Squadron (Orion) July 1978 – July 1981. 

KNOWN AWARDS

Air Force Cross

New Zealand Armed Forces Award and bar

NOTES