Philip Gray Collection

Item set

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Description

Flight Lieutenant Philip Gray joined the RAF in 1942 and underwent training at No. 4 British Flying Training School (BFTS) Falcon Field, Arizona, USA. Posted to 186 Heavy Bomber Squadron at Stradishall, Suffolk, UK, where he piloted Avro Lancaster I & II bombers. Philip flew 16 operations with 186 squadron, later transferred to 622 Squadron, Mildenhall. With 622 squadron he participated in the food-drops to the people of The Netherlands as part of Operation Manna, transporting former Prisoners of War (POWs) from France to Britain under Operation Exodus, Operation Baedeker, the low-flying observation of the bomb damage of Germany, and Operation Post Mortem in June 1945 testing the effectiveness of German air-defence radar.
After the war, Philip flew with Fighter Command on the Island of Sylt, West Germany as a staff pilot, flying Hawker Tempests, deHavilland Mosquitos and Gloster Meteors on air-to-air firing ranges.
In 1971 Philip Gray and his wife immigrated to New Zealand where he scripted a book titled 'Ghosts of Targets Past' (Grub Street, 1995) which he finished after immigrating to Canada in 1990.
Philip Gray became a member of the Canadian Air and Space Museum in 2000, and made ten annual visits to the Duxford Air Museum, UK.

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Photograph

A photograph of F/O Philip Gray and his crew, F/Sgt. Gerry Merrick, navigator. F/Officer Jack Marner, air bomber, F/Sgt. Harry Jenkinson, Wireless operator, F/Sgt. Frank Parkhouse, Flight Engineer, F/Sgt. Ivor 'Blondie' Foster, mid-upper gunner, F/Sgt. Clin Booth, rear gunner.
Logbook

Royal Air Force Pilot's Flying Log Book of Flight Lieutenant Philip Gray.
Photograph

An original photograph of the graduating class from training school at Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona. USA.
Photograph

A photograph of "A" Flight, No. 3 Squadron, No. 1 Initial Training Wing (I.T.W.), November, 1942.
Photograph

A scanned photograph of F/L Philip Gray standing in front of a Hawker Tempest at RAF Westerland on the island of Sylt, West Germany.
Photograph

A photograph of armourers loading a Lancaster bomber with a "Cookie" 4000lb blockbuster bomb.
Photograph

An aerial photograph of bombing at Wesel, Germany. Pilot: F/Sgt Philip Gray; Height: 19,500 ft; Time: 1635 hrs; Date: 19 February 1945; Aircraft: R-Roger; Course: 108 Compass; Load 1 x 4000lb Blockbuster and 12 x 500-pounders.
Photograph

An aerial photograph of bombing at Regensburg, Bavaria region, on 20 April 1945.2386 SDL. 20/4/45 (17". Height:18500.190. Time:1359. Regensburg Oil Depot. F.I. 4MC 1000 DT: 9 ANNG4DT: Load: C "Cookie" 32. F/O Gray. Aircraft: "O-Oboe" Squadron:186
Photograph

An aerial photograph of bombing at Wesel, North Rhine-Westphalia region, on 16 February 1945. No. 14 | Wesel Photographs taken on 16th February, 1945 showing: - Left - At 15.58 hours markers and bomb bursts early in the attack. Right - Concentration of bombing over the whole target area 3 minutes later. 3 Group Air Staff Int. P.I., H.Q.B.C. CONFIDENTIAL.
Photograph

A black and white photograph portrait of Flight Sergeant Philip Gray in his RAF uniform.
Battle Orders

No. 186 Squadron Battle Order 25 April, 1945 Serial No...58 F/C. Philip Gray listed as Pilot on (XY) "B" PP.668 aircraft. Navigator F/S. D. Merrick Air Bomber F/O. E. Marner Wireless Operator/ Air Gunner F/S. H. Jenkinson Midgunner Sgt. I. Foster Rear/Gunner W/O. J. McFalls F/Engineer Sgt. F. Parkhouse
Magazine

The Falcon - The Magazine of No. 4 British Flying Training School, at Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona.