Feature Letter of December 20th, 2025
Gray, Robert Hampton
[Written by Lt. Robert Hampton Gray, VC, DSC, of the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve to his parents John and Wilhelmina Gray in Trail, British Columbia. At the time the letter was written Gray was completing his pilot training with the Royal Navy Air Fleet Arm at HMS Heron in Yeovilton, England.]
. . . The work here is quite interesting. I was telling you that we are flying Hurricanes. Well we have been doing what they call “Attacks”. That means that we attack another aircraft and take pictures of it with a Camera gun. I was in to see my results just tonight and they were not too bad. But it is quite a wild affair. We come rushing in and take pictures and then break away from him. That has to be done in quite a wild way in order not to present the other aircraft with a good target. You often “black-out.” That means that when you pull out of a dive the blood rushes away from your head. This affects the eyes so that while you are pulling out there is no blood flowing to the eyes so that you cannot see. However the instant you release the pressure you can see again. So it is not a dangerous thing but it is a bit weird. . . .
The news in the Far East is bad but it is not too bad at the moment in other places is it? I only wish the whole thing was over but I don’t suppose that I wish that anymore strongly than you do.
Well all my love. I think about you both often and I think how lonely you must be at times. It is now ten P.M. here about 2 P.M. there and my bedtime as I fly in the morning so goodnight.
Love,
Hampton.
P.S. The number V13438 is no longer needed. As one person said once you get your commission in the navy you are no longer a number but an individual.
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