Corporal Donald J Gray

Donald James Gray was the son of Charles Welford and Hilda May (Wall) Gray, of Manchester, he enlisted in The King’s Regiment and volunteered for airborne forces.

Corporal Gray successfully completed parachute training at RAF Ringway on course number 136 from 2 to 15 October 1944. His course report stated “Good, cheerful and confident”. He was posted to 9th Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, and took part in, Ardennes (Battle of the Bulge) and Operation Varsity (Rhine Crossing).

Cpl Gray was killed in action on 24 March 1945, aged 21, whilst taking part in the daylight parachute drop into Germany as part of the Rhine Crossing during operation Varsity and was given a field burial at Hovelsmannhof, Germany and was re-interred to Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany, on 30 October 1946.

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