Flight Lieutenant John Ray
Name John Ray
Date of Birth Circa 1907
Place of Birth
Air Force Branch RAF (VR)
Rank Flt Lt
Service Number 162911
Awards
Date of Death 23/02/1945
Squadron 97 Sqn
Aircraft type Avro Lancaster PB588 OF-E
Location of Memorial Tonsberg Old Cemetery, Tonsberg, Norway
Next of kin Husband of Winifred Kathleen Joyce Ray, of Chippenham, Wiltshire.
On the 23rd February 1945 the crews of 97 (Pathfinder) Squadron were briefed for an attack on U-Boat facilities at Horten in Norway. At 1650 that evening the crew of Avro Lancaster III PB588 (OF-E) took off to carry out their mission, shortly after reaching the target area the aircraft went missing, it is thought after exchanging fire with a Luftwaffe night fighter. Flt Lt John Ray was a member of the crew that perished when their aircraft crashed at Asjardstrand, Norway, he is now buried in Tonsberg Old Cemetery along with Flt Lt B J Hines, Sgt J Sinclair, Flt Lt M R McQuillan RCAF, Flt Sgt A J Marrable and Flt Sgt C W Palmer. The seventh crew member Sgt D Moroney is commemorated on the Royal Air Force Memorial, Runnymede having no known grave.
Date of Birth Circa 1907
Place of Birth
Air Force Branch RAF (VR)
Rank Flt Lt
Service Number 162911
Awards
Date of Death 23/02/1945
Squadron 97 Sqn
Aircraft type Avro Lancaster PB588 OF-E
Location of Memorial Tonsberg Old Cemetery, Tonsberg, Norway
Next of kin Husband of Winifred Kathleen Joyce Ray, of Chippenham, Wiltshire.
On the 23rd February 1945 the crews of 97 (Pathfinder) Squadron were briefed for an attack on U-Boat facilities at Horten in Norway. At 1650 that evening the crew of Avro Lancaster III PB588 (OF-E) took off to carry out their mission, shortly after reaching the target area the aircraft went missing, it is thought after exchanging fire with a Luftwaffe night fighter. Flt Lt John Ray was a member of the crew that perished when their aircraft crashed at Asjardstrand, Norway, he is now buried in Tonsberg Old Cemetery along with Flt Lt B J Hines, Sgt J Sinclair, Flt Lt M R McQuillan RCAF, Flt Sgt A J Marrable and Flt Sgt C W Palmer. The seventh crew member Sgt D Moroney is commemorated on the Royal Air Force Memorial, Runnymede having no known grave.
Sources: CWGC, Bomber Command Losses 1945 Vol 6 W R Chorley, Photograph SB