Richard Owen Gray

A Pilot Officer with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Richard died on 23 November 1942, aged 20. 

Richard was born at Pakefield on 25 December 1921, a son of Owen Eardley and Florence Gray. He was baptised at All Saints’ Church, Pakefield, on 12 February 1922, and his family lived at Sunnyholme, Carlton Road. By 1939 they were living at 10 Grayson Avenue and Richard was draughtsman and student and was also a member of the Auxiliary Ambulance. 

Richard joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, service number 1334648, and by October 1942 was a Temporary Sergeant. He was commissioned as a Pilot Officer on 9 October 1942, service number 137255.
By November 1942 Richard was a Pilot with 4 Bombing and Gunnery School Royal Canadian Air Force, based at Fingal, Ontario, Canada. On 23 November he was flying a Lysander IIIA aircraft on a target towing flight. It seems that a problem with the elevator trim gear led to the aircraft crashing into Lake Eerie, near Eagle, Ontario, killing Richard.