Gray, Stanley Goddard
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | Stanley Goddard |
Surname | Gray |
Gender | M |
Age | 23 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 27-09-1942 |
Next of Kin | Son of to Thomas Maurice Gray and Lucille May Gray (née Roberts), of Pine Bush, New York, USA |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax II |
Serial Number | W7822 |
Markings | EY- |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 104. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 172 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/79093 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 4 |
Squadron | 78 |
Trade | Pilot |
Country of Origin | United States of America |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Clubhouse, Breighton Airfield, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Marble Tablet |
Memorial Text | Dedicated to all who served at this airfield and gave their lives during World War II |
Location | External, All Saints Church, Bubwith, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial, inscribed Metal Plaque |
Memorial Text | 78 Sqn 4 Group Bomber Command Yorkshire 1939 - 1945 To All Who Served |
Location | Internal, All Saints Church, Bubwith, East Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Wooden Board, Memorial Chapel featuring Cross made from Halifax wreckage |
Memorial Text | The 78 Sqn Memorial in the Churchyard was dedicated by the Bishop of Selby on 7th September 1986. RAF Breighton, two miles from this church was the Sqn's home from June 1943 to May 1945 |
Location | Outside "B" Hangar, RAF Benson, Oxfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone & Inscribed Slate Plaque |
Memorial Text | In proud memory of all who have lost their lives serving with 78 Sqn Royal Air Force "Nemo Non Paratus - Nobody Unprepared" |
Miscellaneous Information
Stanley was born on 26 September 1919 at Hollis, Long Island, New York. His parents were both born in New York and his father was a Forester (Fibre broker). They were both deceased by the time of Stanley's enlistment, his father in 1923 at the age of only 29. His brother Thomas Leonard was listed as his next of kin on his enlistment papers. Thomas was a Corporal at 494 Engineer’s Heavy Shop Co., Camp Clairborne, Louisiana. Stanley's schooling was at P.S. 52, New York City 1927-1935 (General) and Hendrick Hudson High School 1935-1938 (College Entrance). He also attended Cornell University 1938-1940 , Ithaca, New York where he attained a BSc (as an Agronomist). Stanley’s sport interest was football which he played at High School and his hobbies were maps, land surveys and photography. He worked as a tree expert 1937-1938 at the US Dept. of Agriculture in the Bureau of Entomology, Washington. He then returned to his schooling. He had been an Aviation Cadet in the U.S Army Air Force. |
Stanley enlisted on 5 February 1941 and after training was sent to the U.K. where he arrived at 3 PRC on 23 November 1941. He was at 51 OTU 27 January 1942 and then at 6 (P)AFU on 27 April 1942, 24 OTU 30 June 1942 and 78 CU 16 September 1942. Sadly Stanley lost his life on 27 September 1942, just eleven days later. He had turned 23 years of age the day they took off for this fateful flight. |
He had a Fiancée Grace Williams and were very shortly to be married. He left instructions with his brother that she should be allowed to have his personal belongings should he lose his life. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/660/54 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/660/53 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 26-09-1942 |
End Date | 27-09-1942 |
Takeoff Station | Linton-on-Ouse |
Day/Night Raid | Night (94% moon) |
Operation | Flensburg. 28 aircraft, all recalled. One was lost and one went on to bomb the target |
Reason for Loss | Attacked by a night-fighter, taking out the port outer engine. Low fuel was also reported over the w/t suggesting a fuel leak. Nothing more heard |