William Cummock left New Zealand in early 1940 and served with New Zealand's artillery forces in North Africa. He was with them during the Second Battle of El Alamein, assisting British tank forces in their assault on the heavily defended minefield area laid out by General Rommel as a defensive measure until he could acquire the weapons and supplies to move into Egypt. A week into the offensive, a gun of William's unit, the 4th Field Regiment was lost with its crew on the day of William's death.
The 4th Field left the Australian sector, starting at 6 a.m. on the 31st, and drove nine miles to a new area just south-west of Tell el Eisa proper (not the station). Before the batteries were ready for action 34 ammunition lorries arrived. Parties from the other field regiments followed and at 10 a.m. the 6th Field began to move by troops. The 4th Field was heavily shelled in this position and a direct hit on a 25 Battery gun killed three men and wounded two. -2nd NZ Divisional Artillery, Official History.
FOR THE EMPIRE’S CAUSE
CUMMOCK. — T/L/Bdr. William Smith Anthony, loved fourth son of James and Ellen Cummock, of Galloway, killed in action, Middle East; aged 28 years. "His duty nobly done." R.I.P.
CUMMOCK. — Sgt. Vincent Patrick, R A F, killed in action, youngest son of James and Ellen Cummock; aged 25 years. "His duty nobly done.” R.I.P. -Otago Daily Times, 16/11/1942.
Vincent Cummock received his wings in New Zealand after training and was trained to fly the Vickers Wellington bomber between October 1941 and May, 1942. He was assigned to No 57 Squadron, RAF, and took part in mining and bombing raids over Germany and occupied Europe. On his sixth operation, to Essen, Germany, his plane was shot down by a German night fighter. There were no survivors.
He was listed as "missing," then "missing, believed killed," until information was received from the International Red Cross confirming the deaths of him and his crew. From early June to November would have been a long wait, made doubly tragic by the news of the death of William.
GALLOWAY
Deep regret is felt in the district at the news that Sergeant/Pilot Vincent Pat Cummock and his brother T/L/Bd. William Cummock have been killed in action. Sergeant/Pilot Cummock was drafted straight to England from New Zealand and was posted as missing in the great raid over Germany early in June. He had always been keen on aviation and held a Commercial Pilot's license before joining the Royal Air Force. He was twenty-five years of age. T/L/Bd. Bill Cummock, in the artillery of the 3rd Echellon was for a time in Fiji and after a short leave in New Zealand went to Egypt. Bill was an enthusiastic member of the Young Farmers' Union and was looked upon as a coming man in the Farmers Union where he held the post of Secretary for some time. He was twenty-eight years of age. Much sympathy is felt for Mr and Mrs Cummock and family, in their double bereavement. -Alexandra Herald and Goldfields Gazette, 18/11/1942.
The "great raid" mentioned above was one of the "thousand bomber" raids on Germany in 1942, intended to show the enemy the strength of the Royal Air Force and to damage German morale. Bombers were assigned from squadrons whose usual duties did not include entering the heavily defended zones over Germany. It is possible that Vincent's Wellington was one of these.
Alexandra Cemetery.
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