David Kennedy Raikes was born on 3rd June 1924 at Berry House, Blechingley, Surrey.  He started his education at Brambletye and then went on to Radley College.  He then completed an R.A.F. course at Trinity College, Oxford. Raikes trained as a bomber pilot in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1943-4 and then served with the R.A.F. in Italy.  He was reported missing from operations in the Po valley on the night of the 21-22 April, 1945.

Now, according to the Daily Telegraph, the wreckage of Raikes' Douglas A-20 Boston bomber and the remains of its crew have been discovered in Northern Italy. (Click Here to read full story)

Whilst serving, Raikes wrote several poems, but it is his poem 'Armistice' that is best known by Brambletye pupils as it forms the core of our Remembrance Services on the 11th November every year.