Gray, Leonard George (Pilot Officer)

Killed in Flying Accident 1943-May-06

Male Head

Birth Date: 1916

Born:

Parents: Son of Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred G. Gray; husband of V. Gray, of Fleet, Hampshire, England.

Spouse:

Home:

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: unkown date

Service

RAFVR

Unit

39 SFTS- Service Flying Training School (RAF)

Base

Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada

Rank

Pilot Officer

Position

Service Numbers

136452

Final Burial

Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Block 2 Grave 9

Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Crew or Other Personnel

Oxford BM718

Sergeant Daniel Draper Ashcroft RAFVR

Sergeant Ashcroft, Daniel Draper (RAFVR)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-May-06
Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada

Pilot Officer Leonard George Gray RAFVR

Pilot Officer Gray, Leonard George (RAFVR)

Killed in Flying Accident
1943-May-06
Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Swift Current, Saskatchewan, Canada

Oxford serial: BM718

(Bob Brown Photo)(Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page)
Airspeed A.S. 10 Oxford Mk. II, RCAF (Serial No. AS277), 25, in flight over Saskatchewan, 1942.

The Airspeed AS.10 Oxford was a twin-engine monoplane aircraft developed and manufactured by Airspeed. It saw widespread use for training British Commonwealth aircrews in navigation, radio-operating, bombing and gunnery roles throughout the Second World War.

The Oxford was developed by Airspeed during the 1930s in response to a requirement for a capable trainer aircraft that conformed with Specification T.23/36, which had been issued by the British Air Ministry. Its basic design is derived from the company's earlier AS.6 Envoy, a commercial passenger aircraft. Performing its maiden flight on 19 June 1937, it was quickly put into production as part of a rapid expansion of the Royal Air Force (RAF) in anticipation of a large-scale conflict.

As a consequence of the outbreak of war, many thousands of Oxfords were ordered by Britain and its allies, including Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, Poland, and the United States. Following the end of the conflict, the Oxford continued to achieve export sales for some time, equipping the newly formed air forces of Egypt, India, Israel, and Yugoslavia. It was considered to be a capable trainer aircraft throughout the conflict, as well as being used a general-purpose type. A large number of Oxfords have been preserved on static display. Wikipedia

YouTube Oxford Trainer

Wikipedia Oxford Trainer

unvetted Source Harold A Skaarup Web Page

Aircraft Images

Oxford BM718

Oxford Mk. II BM718

1942-04-22 Taken on Strength 2022-02-07
1942-June-22 Accident: 35 Service Flying Training School Loc: R1 Hamlin Names: Howse
1943-May-06 Accident: 39 Service Flying Training School Loc: Aerodrome Names: Ashcroft | Gray
1943-08-04 Struck off Strength 2022-02-07

Unit Desciption

39 SFTS (39 Service Flying Training School)

Graduates of the EFTS "learn-to-fly" program went on a Service Flying Training School (SFTS) for 16 weeks. For the first 8 weeks the trainee was part of an intermediate training squadron; for the next 6 weeks an advanced training squadron and for the final 2 weeks training was conducted at a Bombing & Gunnery School. The Service schools were military establishments run by the RCAF or the RAF.

There were two different types of Service Flying Training Schools. Trainees in the fighter pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 14 Aylmer, where they trained in the North American Harvard or North American Yale. Trainees in the bomber, coastal or transport pilot stream went to an SFTS like No. 5 Brantford where they learned multi-engine technique in an Airspeed Oxford, Avro Anson or Cessna Crane.