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Gray, Roderick Borden GC (Flying Officer)

Killed in Action 1944-August-27

Birth Date: 1917-October-02 (age 26)

Born: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Son of David Stanley and Rena Blanche (nee Gibbs) Gray of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. Brother of David, Stanley, Robert and Patricia.

Husband of Muriel Elizabeth (nee Burns) Gray, of North Vancouver, B

Home: Sault Ste Marie, Ontario

Enlistment: North Bay, Ontario

Enlistment Date: 1941-10-21

Decorations: GC, MiD


George CrossMentioned in Dispatches
Service
RCAF
Unit
172 Sqn- Squadron
Rank
Flying Officer
Marshal
Air Chief MarshalA/C/M
Air MarshalA/M
Air Vice MarshalA/V/M
Air CommodoreA/C
Group CaptainG/C
Wing CommanderW/C
Squadron LeaderS/L
Flight LieutenantF/L
Flying OfficerF/O
Pilot OfficerP/O
Warrant Officer 1st ClassWO1
Warrant Officer 2nd ClassWO2
Flight SergeantFS
SergeantSGT
CorporalCPL
Senior AircraftmanSAC
Leading AircraftmanLAC
Aircraftman 1st ClassAC1
Aircraftman 2nd ClassAC2
Position
Navigator
Service Numbers
J/13979
Born in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, 2 October 1917. Educated there to June 1937, then worked for CPR as freight trucker until enlistment. Joined Canadian Army, 13 July 1940, transferring to RCAF, 21 October 1941 as AC2 on 21 October 1941. Trained at No.1 ITS (4 January to 26 February 1942), promoted to LAC, 27 February 1942, No.5 AOS (27 February to 5 June 1942), No.7 BUS (6 June to 24 July 1942), No.1 CNS (25 July to 24 September 1942) and No.1 GRS (25 September to 6 November 1942). Sergeant and P/O, 5 September 1942 Arrived in UK, 30 November 1942. Crewed at No.3 OTU (30 March to 1 June 1943), promoted to Flying Officer 5 March 1943. No.172 Squadron, 2 June 1943. Killed in action, 27 August 1944, age 26. 172 Squadron. Wellington aircraft NB 798 was shot down in the Bay of Biscay by an enemy submarine, Flying Officer T. Robb was also killed. Although Flying Officer Gray was wounded he refused to get into the overcrowded dinghy, his sacrifice saved one Canadian, Warrant Officer G.H. Bulley D.F.C., and two RAF members of the crew, one of whom had earned the Distinguished Service Order and one of whom had earned a Distinguished Flying Medal. Flying Officer Gray was awarded the G.C. posthumously, the Citation reads, "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 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. The pain from his leg (it is thought that the lower part had been shot off) was increasing in intensity and he was becoming exhausted. He steadfastly refused, however, to endanger his comrades by entering the dinghy. He eventually lost consciousness and died. When it became light, his companions realized he was dead and they were forced to let his body sink. The survivors were rescued later. Flying Officer Gray displayed magnificent courage and unselfish heroism, thus enabling the lives of his comrades to be saved." Addendum: - Mention in Despatches - No.172 Squadron (deceased) - Award effective 1 January 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 918/45 dated 1 June 1945. The citation to the George Cross is shown on page 279. Detail provided by H. Halliday, Orleans, Ontario.

Canada Source Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Canada Primary Source Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Flying Officer Roderick Borden Gray has no known grave.

Home
Google MapSault Ste Marie, Ontario

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Panel 246

Wellington NB798

Flying Officer Gray, Roderick Borden (RCAF)
Navigator
Killed in Action
1944-August-27
Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK

Flying Officer Robb, Thomas Gifford (RCAF)
Pilot
Killed in Action
1944-August-27
Runnymede Memorial Surrey, UK

Vickers Wellington

Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page
Vickers Wellington B. Mk. III (Serial No. X3763), coded KW-E, No. 425 'Alouette' (B) Squadron, RCAF, late summer of 1942

The Vickers Wellington was a British twin-engined, long-range medium bomber. It was designed during the mid-1930s at Brooklands in Weybridge, Surrey. Led by Vickers-Armstrongs' chief designer Rex Pierson, a key feature of the aircraft is its geodetic airframe fuselage structure, which was principally designed by Barnes Wallis. Development had been started in response to Air Ministry Specification B.9/32, issued in the middle of 1932, for a bomber for the Royal Air Force. This specification called for a twin-engined day bomber capable of delivering higher performance than any previous design.

The Wellington was used as a night bomber in the early years of the Second World War, performing as one of the principal bombers used by Bomber Command. During 1943, it started to be superseded as a bomber by the larger four-engined "heavies" such as the Avro Lancaster. The Wellington continued to serve throughout the war in other duties, particularly as an anti-submarine aircraft.

It holds the distinction of having been the only British bomber that was produced for the duration of the war, and of having been produced in a greater quantity than any other British-built bomber. The Wellington remained as first-line equipment when the war ended, although it had been increasingly relegated to secondary roles. The Wellington was one of two bombers named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, the other being the Vickers Wellesley.

In August 1936, an initial order for 180 Wellington Mk I aircraft, powered by a pair of 1,050 hp (780 kW) Bristol Pegasus radial engines, was received by Vickers; it had been placed so rapidly that the order occurred prior to the first meeting intended to decide the details of the production aircraft. In October 1937, another order for a further 100 Wellington Mk Is, produced by the Gloster Aircraft Company, was issued; it was followed by an order for 100 Wellington Mk II aircraft with Rolls-Royce Merlin X V12 engines. Yet another order was placed for 64 Wellingtons produced by Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft. With this flurry of order and production having been assured by the end of 1937, Vickers set about simplifying the manufacturing process of the aircraft and announced a target of building one Wellington per day.

A total of 180 Wellington Mk I aircraft were built; 150 for the RAF and 30 for the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) (which were transferred to the RAF on the outbreak of war and used by 75 Squadron). In October 1938, the Mk I entered service with 9 Squadron. The Wellington was initially outnumbered by the Handley Page Hampden (also ordered by the Ministry to B.9/32) and the Armstrong Whitworth Whitley (to B.34/3 for a 'night' bomber) but outlasted both rival aircraft in service. The Wellington went on to be built in 16 separate variants, in addition to two training conversions after the war. The number of Wellingtons built totalled 11,462 of all versions, a greater quantity produced than any other British bomber. On 13 October 1945, the last Wellington to be produced rolled out. Wikipedia

Wkikpedia Wikipedia Vickers Wellington

General RCAF - Vickers Wellington

YouTube YouTube Vickers Wellington documentary

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

last update: 2021-08-30 20:19:05

Wellington Mk. XIV NB798



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