Gray, Harry
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | Harry |
Surname | Gray |
Gender | M |
Age | 19 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 17-04-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Harry Gray Sr., a Collier, and Nellie Gray (née Kinsey) of Ellistown, Coalville, Leicestershire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Vickers Wellington X |
Serial Number | HE475 |
Markings | KW-E |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Cologne Southern Cemetery |
Grave Reference | Plot 4. Row AA. Grave 19. |
Epitaph | |
Ribbon Stone | 0665 (Block 8, Column 10, Row 3) |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 172 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 124318 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 425 (Alouette) |
Trade | Air Bomber |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | International Bomber Command Centre, Lincoln, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed stone tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of F/O Harry Gray 425 Sqn |
Location | Outside Village Hall, Dishforth, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone and inscribed metal plaque |
Memorial Text | In memory of the Canadian aircrew of 425 and 426 Sqns RCAF who served at RAF Dishforth, 1942-1945 |
Location | Village Green, Tholthorpe, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone, inscribed metal plaque and Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | A memorial, in French, to those Canadians who served at RAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 425 Sqn |
Location | Former Control Tower, Tholthorpe Airfield, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | A memorial to those Canadians who served at RAF Tholthorpe during WW2, including 425 Sqn |
Miscellaneous Information
Born 18 September 1923. He was one of thirteen children, his siblings: Joyce Ethel, Nellie, William, Mavis, Thomas, triplets Jean, June and Joan, Leslie (Les), Gwendoline Nancy (Nance), Michael and Edna May. |
Harry was a very bright boy and aged 11 he was awarded a Scholarship to Loughborough College. His primary school Headmaster paid for his uniform so that he could attend. Whilst training as an Accountant he volunteered shortly after his 18th Birthday and trained in Cape Town, South Africa before returning to the UK. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 16-04-1943 |
End Date | 17-04-1943 |
Takeoff Station | Dishforth |
Day/Night Raid | Night (87% moon) |
Operation | Mannheim. 271 aircraft, 18 losses (6.6%). Accurate PFF marking followed by a successful raid. Production stopped at 41 industrial premises. 130 deaths and almost 7000 bombed out. |
Reason for Loss | Crashed and caught fire on outbound leg, ESE of Traben Trarbach, Germany |