[headed by picture of Gray captioned: “LIEUT. ROBT. H. GRAY, D.S.C. . . . plane shot down.”]

B.C. Navy Flyer Badly Wounded During Attack

Lieut. Robert Hampton Gray, D.S.C., R.C.N.V.R., son of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Gray, 915 Baker street, Nelson, was shot down during operations over northern Honshu Island, Japan, on the morning of August 9.

According to a letter from the deputy secretary of the Naval Board, to his parents, “little hope is held for his survival.”

Lieut. Gray, who joined the Navy in 1940 after completing his third year in Arts at the University of British Columbia, where he was affiliated with Phi Delta Theta, was a pilot on loan to the Royal Navy’s Fleet Air Arm.

A year ago he was mentioned in despatches following destruction of the German pocket battleship Tirpitz. Announcement of his award of the D.S.C. “for services in action against an enemy submarine,” was made after he was reported missing this month.

He was flight commander in H.M. Aircraft Carrier Formidable.

HOME IN 1944.
The 26-year-old flyer went overseas first a month after entering the R.C.N. and attended the Royal Naval College at Plymouth during the 1940 blitz on England.

He was last home in May, 1944, when he spent a month’s leave with his parents at Nelson.

Lieut. Gray’s young brother, Flt.-Sgt. Jack Gray, R.C.A.F., was the first Nelson boy reported killed in action in World War II. It is believed the elder brother may be the last casualty reported from the Kootenay city.

Both were born in Trail. Their sister, Mrs. Edward H. Gautschi, lives in Calgary.