Eric Lindsay Gray DFC

Eric Lindsay Gray, the second of Charles and Elizbeth Gray’s three children, was born at Nurse Burrows’ Private Hospital, Wellington on 24 March 1911. His parents’ address was Fernhill, Horokiwi.

He was enrolled as a five-year-old boarder at Scots College by his father on 20 September 1916.

This was when Scots was in Hobson Street, Thorndon. He was not a ‘foundation’ pupil but definitely one of the first. Gray was a member of Gibb House and during the seven years he was at Scots he won class prizes in spelling and arithmetic as well as winning places in school athletics.

Like his father he may have left school at 12 as there is no known school record for him after 1923. Census records before WW2 give his occupation as salesman, but his enlistment papers record his occupation as farmer.

Gray, known throughout his life as Lindsay, entered the RNZAF on 19 January 1941 and undertook his pilot training at Whenuapai and later Ohakea. He left New Zealand for the U.K. on 18 July 1941.

On 20 February 1942 P/O Gray joined 104 Squadron at Kabrit, Egypt flying Vickers Wellington MkII’s. The Operations Record Book states that on the day he arrived he began flying duties with circuits and bumps and later “Local night flying.”

While flying over the Libyan Desert Gray was involved with two forced landings at night. The first was on 16/17 May 1942 when Gray was acting as Second Pilot to Sgt R.A. Baker flying Z8498 “M” from Kabrit. The Operations Record Book stated, “Four aircraft of the Squadron were dispatched to attack shipping at Benghazi” and then “M” Failed to return from Operations. Later reported to have force landed without injuries to the crew.” They were returning from the operation the starboard engine cut out and the aircraft crash-landed in the Western Desert. Gray’s log-book recorded:

Operation Benghazi. Engine trouble when reached target – both motors. Jettisoned bombs on Becca ‘Drome. Forced landing enemy territory Posn 31°40’N. 21°15’E. 0020hrs. Walked N.E. Picked up by L.R.D.G. patrol 18/5/42.  Taken to Siwa.  Burnt plane.

The Long Rang Desert Group patrol which found them was R Patrol, commanded by Captain Don Steele. R Patrol was one of three New Zealand patrols in the LRDG. Steele recalled the rescue: “Curious, the patrol poked its head over the ridge too and they saw a plane on the ground. They went to investigate, where they found an RAF crew of a Wellington bomber that had been winged over Benghazi and made a forced landing. They were walking home and seemed glad of the offer of a lift by the patrol. Amazingly, there was a New Zealander among them, Lindsay Grey, who I had known as a boy!” (O’Carroll, Brendan. (2024) R Patrol Long Range Desert Group p73) Gray travelled with the LRDG for two days to their Headquarters at Siwa and it was another four days before he reached his Squadron. Over 100 RAF aircrew were rescued in the Western Desert by LRDG patrols.

It was this episode that gained Gray membership of the unofficial Late Arrivals Club. This club was formed in Cairo in 1941 and was made up of members of the Desert Air Force who were late returning to base because of enemy action or mechanical problems. Members received a certificate and a silver badge of a miniature flying boot with a wing. The wording on the certificate stated that when the recipient had been “obliged to abandon his Aircraft, on the ground or in the Air, as a result of unfriendly action by the enemy . . . . he had succeeded in returning to his Squadron on foot or by other means, long after his Estimated Time of Arrival.” The motto of the Club was “It is never too late to come back.”

On the night of 16 June 1942 four Wellingtons from 104 Squadron were dispatched from Landing Ground 106 to bomb aircraft and stores at El Tmimi, an important Axis landing ground in Libya. P/O Gray was flying “Q” Z8522 and dropped two sticks of bombs before heading back to base at 0037hrs. The Operations Record Book stated laconically “Aircraft crash landed near L.G. 104, due to lack of petrol. Crew safe.” 104 Squadron correspondence between 18 June and 8 August 1942 give details of events on the morning of 17 June. Fog covered base and at 0045hrs Control sent diversion number 2649. This was the diversion code for L.G. 05 which the navigator did not have on his “flimsy.” The wireless operator queried Control who resent 2649. Radio interference prevented further contact with Control until 2029hrs when a request was made to Control for a magnetic bearing. At 0245hrs a message from Control advised “105 fit.” But by this time the aircraft had passed east of L.G.104, so this diversion could not be used because there was not enough petrol. By 0255hrs Gray was circling L.G. 106 but as there was very low fog he was given a red signal and immediately set course for L.G. 105. As he approached L.G. 105 Gray turned on the navigation lights and circled the flarepath twice at 1100 feet. Gray asked permission to land but as he received no confirmation he immediately set course for L.G. 104. Approximately half way to L.G. 104 both motors cut out from lack of fuel and at approximately 0310 the Wellington made a belly landing three miles south-west of L.G. 104. Gray’s log book entry of this operation records: Linday’s log-book records:

Operation El Tmimi. Fog at base on return. Wrong diversion sent from control. Abnormal petrol consumption. Ran of petrol. Forced landing 0310hrs. Nacelle tanks not filled.”

To the right of this entry is the word “Disobedience” signed by Wing Commander D. T. Saville.

Saville did not agree with this annotation he was ordered to write Gray’s log-book as his letter to Headquarters, No. 236 wing, R.A.F. M.E. dated 8.8.42 states:

Ref: 104S/605/26/P1.

ACCIDENT TO WELLINGTON Z.8522 OF 104 SQUADRON ON 16/17^th JUNE.

In accordance with 205 Group letter addressed to Headquarters, No. 236 Wing, reference 205G/1/Z.8522 dated 26/7/42., I have endorsed Pilot Officer Fray’s log book as instructed in ultimate paragraph (7), with “Disobedience”. I cannot in all fairness, close this matter without expressing the greatest surprise that this was considered necessary. All the evidence goes to prove that the diversion aerodrome as detailed in the flimsy, did not contain L.G. 105, and when it was signalled, the long time taken to pass the message was unnecessarily long.

1. 2. Wing Commander Blackburn, then Commanding Officer of 104 Squadron, and Squadron Leader Brown, Pilot Officer Gray’s Flight Commander, expressed to me their surprise at this action.
   3. An endorsement like this in a pilot’s log book, is a grave blot on his flying ability, and I am sure that no one can accuse this Officer of any lack of flying discipline.
   4. I respectfully request that this case be examined.

(Sgd)  D.T. Saville

Wing Commander, Commanding,

No. 104 Squadron, R.A.F.

In his report of this incident dated 18th June, 1942 to Wing Commander James  Blackburn, Commanding No. 104 Squadron Gray wrote:

I attribute the first cause of this forced landing to the correct diversion not being sent at a reasonable time, and secondly to (1) either an abnormal petrol consumption of the motors or (2) that the petrol which was supposed to be in the tanks according to Form 700 which I signed prior to commencement of the flight, was in actual fact, not in the tanks. An incorrect petrol gauge reading may have attributed to this last mentioned possible cause. The total time of the flight was 6 hrs. 20 minutes during which time 680 gallons, which was supposed to be in the tanks, was consumed.  The revs and boost which I used with weak mixture during the whole trip were extremely low and the general performance of the plane, both climbing and cruising, was excellent. Presuming I had 680 galls in the tanks I cannot understand how such an abnormal petrol consumption occurred.

Wing Commander Blackburn’s report to Headquarters, No. 236 Wing, Royal Air Force Dated 23rd June, 1942 reads:

Forced Landing of Wellington II – Z8522

Herewith Forms 765C and the Pilot’s Report in respect of the above which occurred on the night of 16/17th. June, I942. From the report the following points arise:-

1. 1. The Diversion Code No. 2649 was that of L.G. 05 which was not included in the Flying Control Diversion Code issued by 205 Group – letter reference 205G/S.28/4/Air dated 1st. June, 1942 – and used by this Squadron. Apparently 231 Wing had made up a modified list of landing grounds available which included L.G. 05 but Flying Control L.G. 106 was not in possession of this and it had certainly never been passed on to this Unit. As a result the diversion was queried by all my aircraft but instead of checking and finding out why the diversion was being queried, Operations merely repeated the number over and over again.
   2. Eventually P/O. Gray sent a Syko message informing Control that the Group was not on his flimsy; Control’s answer was that they would call him back later which they did not do in spite of a repeated query, until 40 minutes had elapsed. During this time P/O. Gray had set course for base and when answer eventually came through ” B.B.A. 105 FIT” he had reached the beacon at Base; he tried to land here but another aircraft was on the circuit so he was given a “red” and as the visibility was very bad indeed decided to proceed to L.G. 105 as instructed.
   3. P/0. Gray circled L. G. 105 twice requesting permission to land, and although the weather here was clear, the flare path lit, and he had been diverted to this landing ground, he could receive no answer whatever either a “Green” or a “Red”.

His petrol by then was critically low and he decided correctly to make a final bid for  L.G. 104. Unfortunately on the way, he ran out of fuel and he was forced to make a landing; this he carried out admirably and in the words of F/Lt. Elliss C. C. No. 61 R.S.U, :  it was the nicest belly landing he had ever seen.

1. 5. Although it appears that for some peculiar reason which is being investigated, the petrol consumption of the aircraft was abnormally high, the accident could have been avoided if

(a) The correct Diversion Code number had been sent

(b) A reply to the Syko message had been made within a reasonable time i.e. 5 minutes and not 40 minutes, or,

(c) The A.C.P. at L.G. 105 had been awake and given the aircraft an immediate acknowledgement either a “Red” or a “Green”.

1. 6. In regard to (a) I would like to add that I was assured by Operations, No. 231 Wing both before and after the Diversion had been sent that the aircraft were being diverted to L.G.121. This, I knew was on the flimsy issued and I was most surprised and concerned to learn later that the diversion had, in fact, been to L.G. 05.

(Signed) J. (James)  Blackburn.

Wing Commander, Commanding,

No. 104. Squadron, R.A.F.

Unfortunately, communications from 236 Wing Headquarters are not available.

Gray was promoted to Flying Officer on 5 May 1942 and in December 1942 was posted to Canada.

In June 1943 he was posted to Egypt as RNZAF liaison officer for the Middle East and North Africa and in July that year he was promoted to Flight Lieutenant. Gray was back in the United Kingdom early in 1944 and on 29 April 1944 he joined 140 Squadron, a photo reconnaissance unit. He flew 45 missions in unarmed Mosquitoes over France, Belgium, Holland and Germany.

On 6 July 1944, with Flight Lieutenant C.G. Chadwick as navigator, Gray was twice chased back over the English Channel by a Focke-Wulf 190 on an operation to take photographs of railways in the Montdidier, Lille, Soissons, Hautmont area. He returned a third time and obtained photos as far as Cambrai when they had to return because of the large number of allied aircraft bombing rocket sites around Pas de Calais.

On 29 December 1944 he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The citation for the award stated:

Flight Lieutenant Gray has completed a large number of sorties, including many photographic missions at high and low level over France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany.  He has frequently flown in adverse weather and has encountered much enemy opposition. On one occasion he was twice pursued out to sea by Focke Wulf 190, but returned a third time and successfully completed his mission. He has had to accomplish two forced landings by night, one of them in the desert behind the enemy lines.  Flight Lieutenant Gray has shown praiseworthy skill, tenacity, and unfailing devotion to duty at all times.

By the end of the war Lindsay had completed a total of 770 flying hours with 390 of them on operations. He left the RNZAF on 25 July 1947 but remained on the Reserve until 25 March 1966. After WW2 Lindsay married Helen Mary East and farmed at Pukerua Bay. When Lindsay and Helen moved into the Gray homestead there were frequent lively parties with ex Air Force members. A number of Air Force families had settled in Pukerua Bay at this time. Lindsay and Helen divorced in 1965, he retired in 1970 and moved to Waitahanui where he died in 1983.

 By Terry Brown and Ashley Blair

Charles Gray