Husband of Winifred
Kathleen Joyce Ray, of Chippenham, Wiltshire.
Took off from Conningsby at 1650 on Operation Horton, the bombing of U-Boat
facilties in Oslo fjord. Shot down during an exchange of fire with a Ju88,
crashing at
Åsgårdstrand. Six lie in Tonsberg Old Cemetery, but Panel 272 of
the Runnymede memorial perpetuates the memory of Sgt Moroney. Flt Lt Ray was
38, well over the age associated with operational aircrew.
Lancaster III PB588 OF+E
Fl Lt BJ Hines
Sgt J McD Sinclair
Flt Lt MR McQuilliam RCAF
FS AJ Marrable
Sgt D Moroney
Flt Lt Ray
FS CW PalmerWR Chorly "Bomber Command Losses"
Before the war was a Police Sgt in the Wilts Constabulary based in
Chippenham. Prior to the police, Ray had served at 18 in the RASC in 1924
before joining the police in 1927. He had been stationed at Melksham,
Devizes, Downton, Wilton, Holt, Charlton near Malmesbury, Sutton Benger and
moved to Chippenham on promotion to Sgt in 1939, after a spell on motor
cycle patrols.
Although near the upper age limit, he volunteered for flying duties in the
middle of 1943. He initially passed completed the Air Gunners course and was
promoted to Sgt and 7 months later was commissioned as a Plt Off.
Ray Close, Pewsham is not named after him but after Rays Charity |