Gray, Albert Edward

Date of death:: June 8th, 1943
Buried on:: Commonwealth War Graves Whitley Bay
Plot: J. Grave: 3518.
Service number:: 946191 (NCO)/145296 (Officer)
Nationality:: British

Biography

Albert Gray, a wireless operator/air gunner, participated in 32 bombing and mine-laying raids with No 83 Sqn. Flying Hampdens out of R.A.F. Scampton, between 10th February and 1st October 1941.
In 1943 F/Sgt. Gray was serving with 515 Sqn., flying in the Boulton Paul Defiant Mark 11 aircraft, based at RAF Hunsdon in Hertfordshire.
On June 8th, 1943 the squadron was on an op. Seven aircraft returned safely but the plane of F/Sgt. F.J.A.Steel (Pilot) and Gray- due to foggy weather conditions - crashed into a hill near Beachy Head killing both.

Promotions:
Flight Sergeant
March 13th, 1943: Pilot Officer (on probation/emergency)

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Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Sergeant
Unit:: No. 83 Squadron, Royal Air Force
Awarded on:: December 23rd, 1941

Citation:
"Sgt. Gray has now completed 204.50 hours operational flying a total of 32 sorties including two to Berlin consecutively, and a variety of flights such as Bremen, Hamm, Brunswick and Karlsruhe.
On his 5th trip he was air gunner of an aircraft which attacked and sunk an enemy ship of some 1000 tons off the Frisian Islands. On another occasion when, during an attack on Brunswick, the navigator’s instruments were lost owing to enemy action, he brought the aircraft safely back to base by means of the visual loop indicator. He has taken an active part in the training of the Squadron’s wireless operators/air gunners, and has at all times been an inspiration and help to them both by his own outstanding personal example and his cheerful encouragement of others”.