LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Oberlin Benjamin Plester GRAY
Service No: 408225
Born: Hobart TAS, 1 May 1921
Enlisted in the RAAF: 22 May 1941
Unit: No. 13 Squadron, Hughes NT
Died: Air Operations (No. 13 Squadron Hudson aircraft A16-182), Timor area, 23 April 1942, Aged 20 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Arthur Plester Gray and Lena Mabel Gray, of North Bruny, Tasmania
Roll of Honour: Hobart TAS
Remembered: Panel 10, Northern Territory Memorial, Adelaide River NT
Remembered: Panel 100, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 23 April 1942, Hudson A16-182 went missing on operations between Darwin and Koepang. The crew members were:
Flight Lieutenant Roger Joseph Blanchard (260776) (Pilot)
Sergeant Oberlin Benjamin Plester Gray (408225) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Sergeant David Jacobs (411328) (Second Pilot)
Sergeant David Vynne Woods (416294) (Wireless Air Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veteran’s Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/118/327
Bibliography:
Bennett, J. (John William) Highest Traditions: the history of No. 2 Squadron RAAF, Australian Government Publishing Service, 1995
Grantham, S. R. (Sidney Richard) (6590) The 13 Squadron Story, S.R. Grantham, Dee Why NSW 2099, 1991
Vincent, D. (David) The RAAF Hudson Story Book 1, D. Vincent Highbury SA 5089, 1989
Wilson, S. (Stewart) Anson, Hudson and Sunderland in Australian Service, Aerospace Publications Weston Creek ACT 2611, 1992