S/L Larry E Wray

WRAY, W/C Lawrence Edward (C127) - Air Force Cross - AFHQ - Award effective 11 June 1942 as per London Gazette dated 11 June 1942 and AFRO 1000-1001/42 dated 3 July 1942. Born in Toronto, 17 September 1908; raised in Belleville, 1916-1926 and at Royal Military College, 1926-1930. Also served with No.3 Company, Canadian Corps of Signals (1 April 1925 to 30 June 1926), 34th Battery (Canadian Field Artillery) 1 July 1926 to 30 April 1929, and Non-Permanent RCAF, 23 June to 18 November 1930. Transferred to RCAF Regular, 19 November 1930; had been on strength of Camp Borden since November 1929. Received wings at Camp Borden, 19 November 1930 and remained there until October 1931 (promoted to Flying Officer, 19 November 1931). At Station Trenton (No.3 Squadron), October 1931 to January 1934; on strength of No.2 (General Purpose) Squadron, Winnipeg, January 1934 to December 1936 (promoted to Flight Lieutenant, 1 April 1946). On strength of Station Ottawa (No.8 General Purpose Squadron), December 1936 to August 1938. On strength of Station Ottawa (No.7 General Purpose Squadron), August 1938 to July 1939 as Flight Commander (promoted to Squadron Leader, 1 April 1939). Most of his work in the 1930s was aerial photography. At Station Rockcliffe (Test and Development Establishment), September 1939 to January 1940; on strength of Station Alliford Bay (Commanding Officer, No.6 [BR] Squadron), January to November 1940; Commanding Officer of Station Patricia Bay, November 1940 to May 1941 (promoted to Wing Commander, 1 December 1940). On strength of AFHQ, May 1941 to November 1942 (Directorate of Operations; his duties including arranging and supervising all flying connected with the 1941 tour by the Duke of Kent); promoted to Group Captain, 1 June 1942. Commanding Officer, Station Gander, November 1942 to August 1943. On strength of Eastern Air Command Headquarters, Halifax, August 1943 to November 1943. Posted overseas and assumed command of RCAF Station Skipton-on-Swale, November 1943. While acting as second pilot during a raid on Frankfurt-on-Main, 18/19 March 1944, he was shot down and taken prisoner. Two members of the crew were killed - P/O D.E. James (pilot) and P/O J.P.O.V. Levesque (rear gunner); remainder taken prisoner. Repatriated in May 1945; on strength of Air Force Headquarters, July to November 1945 (Air Member for Air Services, Director of Operations); with No.9 (Transport) Group, Rockcliffe, January 1946 to August 1948 (promoted to Air Commodore, 27 January 1946); Commandant, RCAF Staff College, August 1948 to August 1951; with AFHQ, August 1951 to December 1953 (Deputy Air Member for Personnel); Air Member, Canadian Joint Staff, London, December 1953 to January 1955. Promoted to Air Vice-Marshall, 1 January 1955 and posted to Air Defence Command Headquarters. September 1958 appointed Air Officer Commanding, No.1 Air Division. Retired 14 May 1964. Died in Toronto, 3 March 1977. AFC presented 3 December 1942. Awarded Queen's Coronation Medal, 21 October 1953 (Air Commodore, AFHQ).

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in that, on the night of September 5th, at approximately 2000 hours during a storm of gale force, in order to save Grumman Amphibian Aircraft No.926 in the St.Lawrence River at Quebec, which had overturned and was threatened with destruction, Wing Commander Wray plunged overboard from the Naval Rescue Launch, made fast and held a line until the aircraft could be towed out of danger into the middle of the river, remaining with the aircraft until 0400 hours the following morning. His action undoubtedly saved the aircraft.

NOTE: The background to the above award is most interesting. On 9 October 1941 S/L H.M. Marlowe-Kennedy (Commanding Officer, No.12 Communications Squadron) sent a long report to AFHQ on the salvage of Goose 926. On 17 October 1941, Wing Commander A.C.H. McLean forwarded this to G/C F.V. Heakes, suggesting that Wray should receive an AFC. On 1 November 1941, the Air Member for Air Services (McEwen) minuted this suggestion as "strongly recommended" and passed it to the Chief of Air Staff (Breadner). At an unknown date, this was passed to Air Member for Personnel for comments; AMP approved it on 14 November 1941; the recommendation was forwarded to the Privy Council (worded exactly as the above citation) on 19 November 1941. Marlowe-Kennedy's report, which set the ball rolling in the first place, was as follows:

SUMMARY OF SALVAGE OPERATION OF

GOOSE AIRCRAFT 926

Upon receipt of phone report at 0900 hours September 5th to the effect that Goose 926 had just then turned over at her mooring and was floating upside down, my crewman and I interviewed the Naval Commander at the Naval Control Station who placed a gas launch at our disposal in order to look over the salvage situation.

After viewing the scene I returned to the Naval Station and called in the services of a Captain Snow, in charge of the Quebec Salvage Company. It was decided that successful salvage could only be carried out in sheltered water and therefore it would be necessary to cut the aircraft clear of its mooring, then tow it in the inverted position into the Quebec harbour. The Naval Commander placed two gas launches with their French Canadian crews at our disposal for the carrying out of this portion of the salvage.

The job of severing the mooring cables was completely unsuccessful as long as the tide was either coming in or going out, so by 1700 hours, work was temporarily suspended to await peak tide, due at 1925 EDT; during this pause Wing Commander Wray, who had been informed earlier in the day of the accident, came on board the Naval launch and decided to remain and see the job through in spite of some dinner engagement with the Royal Party. At about 1915 hours we started renewed attempts to loose the aircraft. It should be appreciated that during this entire operation there was an ENE wind of 40-50 mph which cause a four to six foot sea and that there would only be approximately a 10-15 minute period of slack water at the tide turn.

At about 1930 hours the aircraft was released from her mooring and the launch began towing attempts, but owing to the complete ignorance of the launch captain in this form of towing plus the impossibility of making our orders properly understood by him, he being French, this work very quickly failed due to the launch pulling the aircraft tail-towing-ring clean out of the hull. Darkness and rain set in, the current and wind were carrying the aircraft and launch up the river at approximately 5-6 knots and very close to the docks and shore. The only hope of saving the aircraft now lay in getting a fresh line attached to it immediately and pulling it out into the channel. There was no dinghy with the launch and the only possible thing left to fasten a rope to was the retracted tail wheel, also, inside of another 15 minutes it would be too dark to even find the aircraft. After much arguing and yelling with the launch captain, he managed to manoeuvre the stern of the launch to within about three feet of the upturned hull. Wing Commander Wray who had stripped and secured a safety line around himself jumped onto the aircraft hull with the end of the tow line. In spite of him being partially submerged by the heavy seas most of the time, he succeeded in making the tow line fast; by this time the aircraft was only a few feet from a pier. The launch managed to pull the plane clear just in time, then backed up to allow Wing Commander Wray to scramble, with assistance, back onto the launch, in a partially drowned condition.

From then until midnight every attempt to get the tow headed down the river towards Quebec Harbour met with complete failure - it would not turn against the wind. By this time the current had carried us up to the Quebec Bridge whereupon the tide turned and started drifting back towards Quebec City. The second launch which had been standing by was despatched to summon a steam tug from the salvage company. This tug coupled on at about 3.30 a.m. and pulled launch and plane into the harbour. Wing Commander Wray returned to the Citadel and I remained to assist the salvage company in righting and refloating the aircraft. The plane was refloated and anchored alongside the salvage tug by about 8.00 a.m. September 6th. I then instructed Captain Snow to suspend work pending the arrival of the RCAF Salvage party from No.3 Training Command. This party reported at noon, September 6th, and completed the necessary dismantling and loading work for shipment to Montreal.

I wish to add that during the entire night the wind, rain and seas were at their peak, everyone's clothing was soaking wet, and there was very little warmth on the launch to prevent Wing Commander Wray from getting severe chills at least. The Captain in charge of the Salvage Company's work thoroughly appreciated the difficulties of this aircraft's salvage and took unceasing care to avoid any further damage to the plane whilst righting and refloating it. The method and process adopted and employed for the refloating of this aircraft might well be recorded for future reference in dealing with a similar problem with Goose or any other type of flying boat.

WRAY, G/C Lawrence Edward, AFC (C127) - Officer, Order of the British Empire - Overseas - Award effective 28 December 1945 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 155/46 dated 15 February 1946. Award presented 9 December 1947. Until June 1997 no citation had been found other than "for distinguished service while prisoner of war". Press releases indicated he was Senior Allied Officer in Stalag Luft III and worked tirelessly to improve conditions, showing "utter disregard for his own safety". He showed leadership in "bucking" German captors on behalf of POWs during march to Lubeck; reputed to have reduced a German camp commandant to a nervous wreck. He was punished by confinement in small, over-heated room. He virtually controlled the German officers on the long march to Lubeck and in the finally stages had them lodged in scattered barns across the countryside. More recently a brief citation has been found; this was used at his investiture and was found in the National Archives of Canada, RG.7 G.26 Volume 53 (file 40-D-1 Part 10, Investitures):

For outstanding gallantry and distinguished services rendered whilst a prisoner of war of the Germans. As Senior Administrative Officer in Stalag Luft III he continually, with utter disregard for his own safety, countermanded the orders of the German Commandant on behalf of the hundreds of prisoners of war who were incarcerated at the time, and as a result of the outstanding devotion to duty which he displayed, he was largely responsible in obtaining better conditions for prisoners of war.

Public Records Office Air 2/9104 has citation as drafted for a large body of POW awards:

Group Captain Wray was shot down and captured by the Germans in March 1944. He was imprisoned in Stalag Luft III where he was senior Royal Canadian Air Force officer, becoming later Senior British Officer. As senior administrative officer Group Captain Wray exercised a fine influence on the morale of the prisoners in his camp. When the camp was removed from Sagan to Bremen, and again to the Lubeck area, owing to the collapse of Germany in 1945, this officer's outstanding ability was given full scope. These removals were undertaken by forced marches and they had they been carried out at the pace set by the Germans,many prisoners of war would have been left to the mercy of the German population, through exhaustion and fatigue. Group Captain Wray constantly risked being given up to the Gestapo or SS by the Commandant, for his successful efforts to slow down the marches. On the arrival of the columns, both at Bremen and Lubeck, Group Captain Wray arranged for improvements in accommodation which proved of great benefit to the prisoners. During this period he was in continual danger of reprisals by the Germans. Everything he did was with the object of saving the lives of Allied prisoners of war.

There brief accounts tell only a fraction of the story. On 6 June 1945, Air Marshal G.O. Johnson wrote to Air Marshall Sir John Slessor, AMP, RAF, as follows:

Group Captain L.E. Wray commanded RCAF Station Skipton, an operational bomber station in No.6 (RCAF) Group. His work as Station Commander was of the same high order which characterized all his previous service and he would undoubtedly have distinguished himself if circumstances had enabled him to continue his operational command. On the night of 18-19 March 1944, however, his aircraft was shot down whilst on a bombing mission over Frankfurt-on-Main, Germany. He received injuries when he landed by parachute, became a prisoner of war in German hands and was imprisoned at Stalag Luft III. Here he was the Senior RCAF Officer until, towards the close of hostilities, he became the Senior British Officer of that camp.

I have received many unsolicited reports of Group Captain Wray's outstanding work in the prison camp and also during the forced marches which came with the approaching collapse of Germany. I am forwarding to you herewith, one of the many reports which indicated Wray's stellar ability and leadership. I have also forwarded a copy of this report to the RCAF representative at M.I.9.

I feel strongly that Group Captain Wray is highly deserving of a chivalry award and, as during the time he was a prisoner of war he came under RAF and not RCAF authority, I would very much appreciate your personal interest in ensuring that Group Captain Wray is suitably recommended for a chivalry award in the Special List of Awards being rendered upon the cessation of hostilities.

To which he attached the following document dated 28 May 1945,composed by S/L B.J. Bourchier (C245) and sent to AOC RCAF Overseas (Johnson):

As a liberated prisoner of war, I would like the privilege of drawing to the attention of your Headquarters the excellent work done on behalf of myself and hundreds of other prisoners of war who, to a very large degree, owe their lives to the leadership of Group Captain L.E. Wray of the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Until Group Captain Wray's arrival I was senior RCAF prisoner of war in Germany, and as there was no RCAF officer senior to Group Captain Wray, I feel it my duty to submit the following.

When Group Captain Wray arrived in Stalag Luft III, he was immediately accepted as "one of the boys", due to his outstanding personality and leadership, and was given the title of "Canada's Ambassador to Allied Kriegydom" (P.O.W. dom).

He became Senior Administrative Officer and his arrival relieved Group Captain Wilson, the SBO, of many of the administrative details. His work in this capacity was a full time job and he was able to make many changes which resulted in our POW life becoming much more endurable. Every hour of every day he had something planned to keep us occupied whether it was sports, entertainment or education. Further, no matter what hour of the day or night a POW needed attention or advice, Group Captain Wray was always available with the necessary works of cheer and hope. He exercised the finest influence on morale in Stalag Luft II.

It was not until the camp was ordered to march from Sagan to the Bremen area in the latter part of January that his outstanding ability was given full scope. Had the march been carried out at the pace set by the Germans, countless POWs would have dropped out due to exhaustion and fatigue and been left behind at the mercy, if any, of the Germans.

Conditions on our arrival at the camp in the Bremen area were far from satisfactory, and again group captain Wray, as SAO, worked night and day and was able to organize the camp and the Germans to such an extent that life was not too bad.

Again, on the march from the Bremen area towards Lubeck, Group Captain Wray, who was now the Senior British Officer, continually countermanded the orders of the German Commandant in order to slow down the march so that those who were in a poor physical condition could keep pace. In doing this Group Captain Wray was continually running the risk of being turned over by the Commandant to the Gestapo or SS, but regardless of this he so successfully slowed down the march and spread out the column that very few POWs had to be left behind. Also, the long straggling column did its bit in tieing up the German road traffic.

On the arrival of the POWs in the Lubeck area, Group Captain Wray had them billeted at farms outside the city while he went on ahead to inspect the proposed camp. Because it was too small and totally unsuitable, he would not allow the column to continue to Lubeck, and was able to have us march back to a big farm estate where the POWs were billeted in barns, cowsheds, etc., in comparative luxury to the proposed camp at Lubeck. In making these arrangements, Group Captain Wray had t do considerable travelling, and several times was shot up by our Tactical Air Forces. He also entered the town of Bad Odersloe 24 hours after a daylight RAF raid. Particularly in this town did he run the risk of being mobbed by the remaining angry population.

These few brief instances will serve to indicate how Group Captain Wray risked his life continually in order that the POWs might receive better treatment from the Germans. It is my firm conviction that most of the POWs who got back owe their lives to Group Captain Wray. Many more specific instances could be given. Every POW on the march will verify that Group Captain Wray was in continual danger of reprisal by the Gestapo for his delaying action and his absolute indifference to orders or instructions issued by our captors. Everything he did was with the sole object of saving the lives of Allied POWs. His success can be judged by the numbers of POWs who returned safely. This report is made in the earnest hope that it can be passed on to the highest authority in order that some proper recognition can be given to a gallant leader and a brave officer.

This material probably went directly to RAF authorities, but on 10 November 1945 copies were sent from RCAF Overseas Headquarters (London) to AFHQ, Ottawa. On 14 December 1945, AFHQ queried RCAF Overseas Headquarters - "Advise the present state of the projected award for G/C L.E. Wray and what the projected award is". On 16 December 1945, RCAF Overseas Headquarters replied that "Air Ministry Committee may meet in few days." On 21 December 1945, RCAF Overseas Headquarters cabled Ottawa that an OBE had been approved. This led to a very interesting cable from A/V/M Wilf Curtis (AFHQ) to Air Marshal Johnson (London):

We are in receipt of your signal PX2166 21 December stating that G/C Wray will be awarded an OBE in the December 28 Gazette. I assure you that we are very disappointed in this award. We feel very strongly that he should receive either an MC or a CBE. There is adequate precedent for an MC having exposed his life to the enemy by his actions in looking after his troops whilst a POW. Failing an MC we feel that he should at least get a CBE. The RAF practice as I understand it is for Group Captains in the main to receive CBEs. The CAS would appreciate of you would give this your personal attention and endeavour to have the award raised. It is left to your judgement and decision from this point on.

Johnson's task would not have been a happy one; on 28 December 1945 he cabled AFHQ (Ottawa):

Air Ministry advise approved award OBE for G/C Wray passed by Honours and Awards Committee cannot be changed. G/C Wray was considered with approximately one hundred similar cases; we are informed no other Group Captain received higher than OBE. They state further that gallantry awards not normally given to POWs and in this list only one DSO given for a very specific case.

WRAY, A/C Lawrence Edward, OBE, AFC (C127) - War Cross, 1939 (Czechoslovakia) - No.9 (T) Group HQ - Awarded as per Canada Gazette dated 2 November 1946 and AFRO 1075/46 dated 15 November 1946..

WRAY, A/C Lawrence Edward, OBE, AFC (127) - Croix de Guerre with Silver Star (France) - Award as per Canada Gazette dated 20 September 1947 and AFRO 485/47 dated 12 September 1947.

* * * * *