Canadian Virtual War Memorial

J/13979

26

Air Force

Royal Canadian Air Force

172 Sqdn.

The London Gazette of 12th March, 1945, gives the following details:- One night in August, 1944, this officer was the navigator of a Wellington aircraft which was shot down into the Atlantic by a U-boat. Flying Officer Gray and three other members of the crew managed to extricate themselves from the aircraft. Despite a severe wound in the leg, Flying Officer Gray succeeded in inflating his own dinghy, and assisted into it his Captain, who had also been wounded. Cries were shortly heard from another member of the crew, who had broken his arm; Flying Officer Gray helped him also into the dinghy. Although suffering intense pain, Flying Officer Gray refused to get into the dinghy, knowing that it could not hold more than two persons and for some hours he hung on to its side, aided by one of its occupants and by the fourth member of the crew. In spite of increasing pain and exhaustion, he steadfastly refused to endanger his comrades by entering the dinghy, and eventually lost consciousness and died. When it become light his companions, realising that he was dead, were forced to let his body sink. Flying Officer Gray displayed magnificent courage and unselfish heroism, thus enabling the lives of his comrades to be saved.

1939-1945 Star,
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp,
War Medal 1939-45.

October 2, 1917
Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

October 21, 1941
North Bay, Ontario