Excerpt from ‘Knowing No Defeat’ by Connie Weir, South Collegiate Alumni Association Executive Editor/Writer, Knowing No Defeat Raymond Law (1919-1942) a written correspondence with Don. In the years following World War I, the Salva- tion Army operated a home for orphan children in south London – first at 640 Emery Street, and in the 1930s at 55 Beaconsfield Avenue. n the fall of 1937, the Salvation Army could no longer forced to leave school. He got a job working in mallman & Ingram’s department store (later orner of Richmond and Dundas). He luckily found Beaconsfield until 1941, when he married a girl named he Wallace Apartments at 131 Wharncliffe Road S. e to travel (even locally), the prospect of joining one of n war broke out may have appealed to Ray Law as an He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on
homes along Beaconsfield until 1941, when he married a girl named Mary and moved into the Wallace Apartments at 131 Wharncliffe Road S. Never having been able to travel (even locally), the prospect of joining one of Canada’s services when war broke out may have appealed to Ray Law as an adventure of a lifetime. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on January 29, 1941. After basic training at Yorkton, Saskatchewan and later at Debert, Nova Scotia, Ray won his wings as a Wireless Operator Air Gunner and earned the rank of Pilot Officer. His squadron, the Canadian Home War Establishment (HWE) Squadron, was tasked with anti-submarine duty over the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the ocean around Nova Scotia. By 1942, he moved to RCAF Ferry Command, flying new aircraft from American and Canadian factories to bases in the United Kingdom. In the latter part of that year, Ray was transferred to 119 Squadron of Coastal Command – based at Lough Erne in Northern Ireland. This group flew the Short Sunderland (“Flying Boat”) aircraft, attacking German submarines and protecting allied ships in the Battle of the Atlantic.
Raymond Ingham Law was one of those child- ren, born in the UK, but sent to Canada after be- ing orphaned at a very young age. Because of the location of the homes, the children at- tended the nearby Tecumseh Public School, and for those who continued on, South Collegiate. Life at the orphanage home was a busy one. There were chores lists, which included washing dishes, mowing the lawn, making beds, doing laundry, cleaning washrooms and floors, plus any repairs and odd jobs needed around the home. The boys living at the Home, or the “Home Kids” as they were nicknamed, looked up to Raymond, and Ray looked after them, walking them to and from school. Students say that they remember Ray always had to walk everywhere he went, regardless of the weather, because he couldn’t afford a bicycle like all the other kids. All this left little time for outside activities, but Ray had some athletic talent and at South he found a place as Flying Wing on the Junior Rugby teams of 1936 and 1937. This brought him under the tutelage of coach Don Freeman, and later, during his military service, Ray continued a written correspondence with Don. When Ray turned 18, in the fall of 1937, the Salvation Army could no longer support him, so he was forced to leave school. He got a job working in downtown London at Smallman & Ingram’s department store (later Simpson’s, on the SW corner of Richmond and Dundas). He luckily found boarding In the latter part of that year, Ray was adron of Coastal Command – based at Ireland. This group flew the Short at”) aircraft, attacking German submarines Yorkton, Saskatchewan and later at Debert, his wings as a Wireless Operator Air Gunner Pilot Officer. His squadron, the Canadian nt (HWE) Squadron was tasked with anti- e Gulf of St. Lawrence and the ocean 1942, he moved to RCAF Ferry Command, American and Canadian factories to bases and protecting allied ships in the Battle of the Atlantic.
While on an anti-sub mission on December 14, 1942, Raymond’s 4-man crew never returned to base. He has no known grave, but an SOS was received giving their position southwest of the Scilly Isles, off the English coast in the Bay of Biscay. Raymond Law is commemorated on Panel 100 of the Runnymede War Memorial in the south of England, where 9 other lost South alumni are also honoured, along with more than 20,000 Allied airmen whose bodies were never found.
(Note: In addition to Ray, six other members of the 1936 championship Rugby team never mase it home from the war.)
While on an anti-sub mission on December 14, 1942, Raymond’s four-man crew never returned to base. He has no known grave, but an SOS was received giving their position southwest of the Scilly Isles, off the English coast in the Bay of Biscay. Raymond Law is commemorated on Panel 100 of the Runnymede War Memorial in the south of England, where nine other lost South alumni are also honoured, along with more than 20,000 Allied airmen whose bodies were never found. (Note: In addition to Ray, six other members of the 1936 championship Rugby team never made it home from the war.)
Article reprinted from the book Knowing No Defeat , published by the South Collegiate Alumni Association, a non-profit organization created in 1999 and involved in a variety of school oriented projects and activities. The book profiles the 57 men of London South Collegiate school who gave their lives in World War II, a compelling and important historic account.
KNOWING NO DEFEAT The 57 men of London South Collegiate who gave their lives in World War II
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South Collegiate 1936 Champion Rugby Team. Law is in the front row, second from left.
Page 6 Wortley Villager • November 2025
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