LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer William Thomas GRAY
Service No: 287419 (207352) (300219)
Born: Pymble NSW, 3 April 1911
Enlisted in the RAAF: 1 December 1929 (at RAAF Station Richmond NSW) – Appointed to the Reserve: Date unavailable
Unit: RAAF Reserve, Civil Aircrew
Died: Aircraft Accident (Guinea Airways Lockheed 14 Electra aircraft VH-ADY), near Pine Creek NT, 21 April 1942, Aged 31 Years
Buried: Adelaide River War Cemetery, NT
CWGC Additional Information: Son of William Thomas Gray and Caroline Frier Gray; husband of Hilda Amy Gray, of Kingsford, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Sydney NSW
Remembered: Panel 134, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 21 April 1942, Flight Lieutenant Duncan Gordon Cameron (287418) and Flying Officer Gray (287419) (First Officer), were killed in an aircraft accident on Annaburro Station north of Pine Creek, Northern Territory. The aircraft was headed for Batchelor but could not locate the airfield due to low cloud in a weather front. The wreckage of the aircraft was found two months later 60 miles south east of Adelaide River and all twelve on board had been killed. There were two crew members and ten USAAF servicemen from the 49th Interceptor Control Squadron on board.
The USAAF servicemen killed were:
Corporal Bill Bedford (member unable to be further identified)
Private First Class John J Faris (06944576)
Private First Class Walter M Feret (16035030)
Corporal Anthony A Gattamelata (15069706)
Private First Class Robert W George (37082942)
Private First Class Nicholas L Hinch (39602442)
Private First Class Raymond R Love (18025425)
Private First Class Richard D Schmidt (16046323)
Private First Class Wyatt H Wyley (06794725)
Private First Class Buford H Willard (38003333)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9300, GRAY W T; A9301, 300219