Colin Falkland Gray

Born 9 Nov 1914 - Died 1 Aug 1995

Service number: WWII 41844 AWMM
41844
Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 16 November 2015 - Death Record
Also known as: Grey AWMM
Armed force / branch: Air Force AWMM
Last rank: Group Captain/Military AWMM Royal Air Force AWMM
War: World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
Regular Military Service AWMM

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Colin Falkland Gray — Portrait, Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

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Biographical information

Son of Robert Leonard Gray and of Margaret Gray (nee Langford), of Gisborne.

Two sons, brothers Ken Gray (40342) Colin Falkland Gray (RAF) served with distinction as airmen in WW2.

Working as a Stock and Station Agent with Dalgety's before enlistment.

Retired in 1979 in Wellington.

Portrait in Wynn, K. (1981). The Battle of Britain: 10 July - 31 October 1940. AWMM
For a complete history of Colin's War History refer to: http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5g18/gray-colin-falkland
Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 16 November 2015 - http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/biographies/5g18/gray-colin-falkland
Colin Falkland Gray
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Born 9 November 1914
Christchurch, New Zealand
Died 1 August 1995 (aged 80)
Waikanae, New Zealand

Allegiance United Kingdom and New Zealand
Service/branch Royal Air Force
Years of service 1939–1961
Rank Group Captain
Commands held No. 81 Squadron and No. 64 Squadron

Battles/wars

Second World War

Battle of Britain
Mediterranean theatre
Allied invasion of Sicily

Awards Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Flying Cross & Two Bars

Relations Personnel Director at Unilever

Group Captain Colin Falkland Gray DSO, DFC & Two Bars (9 November 1914 – 1 August 1995) was the top New Zealand fighter ace of the Second World War. Born in 1914, Gray was accepted into the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1939 after two previous attempts failed on medical grounds. He flew with No. 54 Squadron during the Battles of France and Battle of Britain, and had shot down 14 aircraft and had a half share in another by September 1940. He later added another 13 kills while leading fighter squadrons and wings in the North African and Italian Campaigns, and finished the war with a confirmed 27½ kills. After the war he held a number of staff and command positions in the RAF before his eventual retirement in 1961. He returned to New Zealand to work for Unilever. He died in 1995 at the age of 80.

Early life

Colin Falkland Gray and his twin brother Ken were born in Christchurch, New Zealand on 9 November 1914, the sons of an electrical engineer and his wife. He attended schools in the lower North Island and in Christchurch. He gained employment as a stock clerk in 1933, working at Dalgety and Company. In 1937, Gray, along with Ken, attempted to join the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1937. While Ken was accepted, Colin failed for medical reasons. A second attempt also resulted in failure on medical grounds and after this, to improve his fitness, Gray took up sheep mustering. He was successful on a third application to join the RAF and was granted a short-term commission at the beginning of 1939. His flight training was conducted at the de Havilland flying school at Hatfield in Hertfordshire, England. He was posted to No 11 Flying Training School from which he graduated as a probationary pilot officer in October 1939.

Second World War

Gray was posted to No. 54 Squadron, at the time equipped with Supermarine Spitfires and based at Hornchurch, in November.[1] He was confirmed in his rank of pilot officer on 17 January 1940.[2] During the Phoney War he participated in patrols over the English Channel up until May 1940. The death of his brother Ken, in a flying accident on 1 May 1940, affected his morale.

After initial combat on 24 May (claiming two 'probable' victories), Gray had a share in his first confirmed enemy aircraft, a Messerschmitt Bf 109, on 25 May 1940, while escorting a formation of Fairey Swordfish to dive-bomb Gravelines. His Spitfire was badly damaged in the engagement, and damage to the port aileron forced the aircraft into a dive that was controlled only with great difficulty. His aircraft had also lost its airspeed indicator and control of guns, flaps or brakes.[3] Despite this damage, Gray managed to force land safely at Hornchurch.[1]

On 13 July 1940, Gray shot down his second Bf 109 near Calais after a long chase at sea level. The pilot, Leutnant Hans-Joachim Lange of III./JG 51, was killed. 54 Squadron was heavily engaged in the Battle of Britain, tasked with the defence of the approaches to London. On 24 July, he shot down Staffelkapitän Lothar Ehrlich of 8./JG 52. Gray observed Ehrlich to bail out into the Channel and swim for what Gray believed to be a dingy. He radioed the man's position, but the pilot did not survive the water conditions.[5] Alternately, it is possible his victim was Leutnant Schauff from III./JG 26.[6] On 16 August, he claimed two Bf 109s destroyed. No. 54's opponents were JG 54. I./JG 54 lost one Bf 109—the unnamed pilot being killed in
Public - Tricia - Other Relative - 14 May 2015 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Falkland_Gray

Sources

External links: Battle of Britain Historical Society website.
http://www.battleofbritain1940.net/
Further Reference
Wikipedia entry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Falkland_Gray
Further Reference
Porirua Cemetery Records
https://poriruacity.govt.nz/services/cemeteries/cemetery-search/
Sources Used
Births, Deaths and Marriages (New Zealand) Historical Records online
https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz/
Sources Used
Wikidata Entity
http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q4148403
Further Reference
See a list of New Zealanders awarded the Battle of Britain Clasp here (PDF). Compiled with the assistance of Errol Martyn and linked from the NZHistory page produced by Manatū Taonga, Ministry for Culture and Heritage.
https://nzhistory.govt.nz/sites/default/files/documents/nz-battle-of-britain-list.pdf
Further Reference
Battle of Britain: Allied Pilots, Aircrew Remembered
https://aircrewremembered.com/BattleOfBritainDatabase/battlebritain-alpha-list.html
Further Reference
Wikipedia contributors. (2025, November 15). List of World War II aces from New Zealand. In Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_World_War_II_aces_from_New_Zealand
Further Reference
References: Thompson, H. (1956). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vols. 1-3). Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
Contact (Magazine of the New Zealand Ex-Vietnam Services Association)
New Zealand's No. 1 Ace.(1944, February). p. 19-21
Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
Vol. 3 p. 588 [15]
Wynn, K. (1981). A clasp for "The Few". Auckland. N.Z.: Author.
pp. 175-184
Thompson, H. (1956). New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force (Vols. 1-3). Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
Auckland Museum Armoury Resource Centre, Biographical vertical file
Information kindly provided by family
Ministry for Culture and Heritage. (2012). New Zealanders serving with RAF Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain, 10 July – 31 October 1940. [A list compiled by Ministry for Culture and Heritage with Errol Martyn].
RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] - Historical Items - List of New Zealand Fighter aces with their Scores (Unofficial) December 1944. Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R17845799).
Royal New Zealand Air Force. (1941–1945). Contact: National magazine of the R.N.Z.A.F.; the official organ of the Air Force Association (Inc.). Levin, New Zealand: Royal New Zealand Air Force.
V5,n2,p18,19,20,21 v4.n6.p69 v4,n3,p61, V7,n4,p60 v7,n5,p16 v4,n1,p66,75

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Colin Falkland Gray

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