City of Ottawa honours Robert Hampton Gray, the last Canadian awarded a Victoria Cross and second last Canadian to die in combat in WWII, by proclaiming August 9th, 2025, as Robert Hampton Gray Day.
By Richard Lawrence
Click here for the few pictures of this event are at:
https://www.richardlawrencephotography.ca/rlpgalleries/2025/gray80th/
Canada has had many heroes emerge from the conflicts in which we have participated. Most of these people never sought recognition or glory but had it thrust upon them when they were confronted with overwhelming circumstances and chose to meet the challenge head-on rather than turn and flee. One such man was Robert Hampton Gray.
Hampton Gray was born in Trail, B.C., and grew up in Nelson, B.C., before quitting university in 1940 to join the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR) during WWII. When he went to England for training, he joined the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm where he trained as a pilot. He first served in Africa as a Hurricane pilot (May 1942) returning to England in February, 1944, to train on the Vought F4U Corsair after which he was transferred to the HMS Formidable (August, 1944). He took several missions over Norway trying to sink the German Battleship Tirpitz and was mentioned in dispatches several times.
In April, 1945, the HMS Formidable moved from the Home Fleet to the Pacific Fleet to combat the Japanese and Gray distinguished himself in the Pacific Theatre. After one mission, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for “determination and address in air attacks in Japan”, although the award would not be announced until August 21st, 1945, 12 days after his death.
August 9th, 1945, was the day that the second atomic bomb was dropped on Japan (Nagasaki) and although the pilots did not know this was going to happen, higher command did and all pilots were warned not to take chances in the pursuit of their targets, higher command feeling that the end of the war was near. Admiral Vian, leader of the British forces, signalled his Squadron Commanders not to take any unnecessary chances in their attacks on Japanese targets and to limit staffing or bombing runs to one pass to limit risks.
Gray was originally supposed to attack Matsushima Airfield but it turned out that Matsushima Airfield had been attacked earlier and the airfield was no longer a viable target. However, a large amount of shipping was noticed in Onagawa Bay and they became the new targets. Two waves of attacks were planned with Gray being in the first.
Onagawa Bay was heavily fortified with all the shipping having armed escorts and there were shore batteries ringing the bay. Despite the wall of steel between him and the Japanese escort ship Amakusa, Gray came in low and while being hit several times, on fire, and having one of his 500 pound bombs shot away, pressed home the attack and dropped his second 500 pound bomb on target so that it went through the deck, into the ship’s magazine, and blew-up the ship, breaking its keel and sending it to the bottom with 71 Japanese fatalities. Gray’s plane immediately flipped over once the bomb was released and Gray went into the bay, never to be recovered. For this action, Gray would be awarded the Victoria Cross.
Robert Hampton Gray was the last Canadian to receive a Victoria Cross and the second last Canadian killed in combat during WWII. Gray’s remains were never recovered but there is a monument to him in Onagawa Bay which is the only memorial dedicated to a foreign soldier on Japanese soil.
In Ottawa, Hampton Gray was remembered on August 9th, 2025, by a small ceremony held at Valiants Memorial in Confederation Square, within sight of the National War Memorial, under sunny skies and soaring temperatures. A small group of a dozen or so gathered to hear the history of Hampton Gray from Don McNeal. Attending was Derrill Henderson from the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association, Paul Baiden from the National Council of Veteran Associations in Canada, Bill Sundman of 410 WG Barker VC Wing, and BGen. (ret’d) Duane Daly. As well, Ottawa Councillor Riley Brockington read a proclamation that the City of Ottawa proclaimed August 9th, 2025, to be Robert Hampton Gray Day and a framed copy of the Proclamation was presented to Nyah Clarke, great-great niece of Hampton Gray.
After the presentation, pictures were taken in the shade across from Hampton Gray’s bust, where the ceremony had taken place due to high heat and humidity (and, if I’m being honest, the old age of those present including myself). After those pictures, all ventured out into the sun to have pictures taken with the bust that is part of the Valiants Memorial.
