Gray, John Balfour
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | John Balfour |
Surname | Gray |
Gender | M |
Age | 21 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 27-02-1942 |
Next of Kin | Son of John Balfour Gray and Wilhelmina Gray, of Nelson, British Columbia, Canada. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Hampden I |
Serial Number | L4178 |
Markings | PL- |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Doncaster (Rose Hill) Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Sec. G. Grave 63. |
Epitaph | NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD WHICH IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 42 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/58225 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 5 |
Squadron | 144 |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Guest Lane Cemetery, Warmsworth, South Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Monument |
Memorial Text | In memory of F/O H.E. Aspey, Sgt. R.A. Bland, Sgt. J.A. Eves and F/S J.B. Gray of 144 Sqn. 27th February, 1942 |
Miscellaneous Information
John Balfour Gray was the brother of Robert Hampton "Hammy" Gray, VC, DSC, RCNVR (November 2, 1917 – August 9, 1945) who was a Canadian naval officer, pilot, and recipient of the Victoria Cross during World War II, one of only two members of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm to have been decorated with the VC. On August 9, 1945, at Onagawa Bay, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan, Lieutenant Gray (flying a Vought F4U Corsair) led an attack on a group of Japanese naval vessels, sinking the Etorofu-class escort ship Amakusa, he was killed when his aircraft crashed into the bay. |
Casualty Pack Number Find Out More
AIR 81/12426 (P366506/42) |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/982/4 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/982/3 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 26-02-1942 |
End Date | 27-02-1942 |
Takeoff Station | North Luffenham |
Day/Night Raid | Night (84% moon) |
Operation | Kiel |
Reason for Loss | On return ran out of fuel, crashing at Hexthorpe, near Doncaster |