Raymond Crombie

Second and younger son of Martha and Dudley. Dudley left the family or was booted out. As a result of that action Ray went into the foster care system of the time along with Freda, and Joyce. His mother was not able to care for all her children at that time. He was loved but she had to make a sacrifice. Ray was a bright man who did well at school. He became a carpenter and met a young woman to whom he became engaged. However the engagement did not last. Ray served overseas in the New Zealand Army. He was in the New Zealand Second Expeditionary Force First Echelon He was stationed in North Africa. He spoke little of his experiences to me. However at his funeral we learned that on one occasion while in Egypt he had a tipple too much and ended up sitting on the knee of his superior officer and whispering sweet nothings in his ear. As a result he was demoted.

Ray was working in Auckland as a builder at the time of Bob Manklelow's death. He left his job and travelled south to Rangitoto near Te Kuiti. It was calving time and he was needed. He eventually settled his affairs in Auckland and came to live in Otorohanga with Freda, her four daughters and George Mankelow, Bob's father. He continued working as a self employed builder. Ray was to meet up again with his old flame Bess and they were married and settled in Kaiwaka later moving to Auckland. He had a long relationship with the Mankelow family, enjoying their special qualities as well as the fishing and hunting to be found near Ngaroma.