Kingston - Municipal Airport

 

Location:  Frontenac County     N 44 13.159   W 76 35.590
At the Kingston Municipal Airport, on Hampton Gray Gate.
 

The memorial is a Harvard trainer aircraft mounted on a pedestal at the Royal Canadian Air Force Association 416 Wing.  A plaque of dedication is mounted on the shaft of the pedestal, along with a second plaque mounted on a stone beside the aircraft.  The plaque on the shaft mentions the details of the memorial, while the plaque on the stone honours the memory of Robert Hampton Gray V.C., who trained at this airfield for service in the Second World War.
The Harvard Memorial was dedicated in September 1985, to remember those who trained here at No. 31 Service Flying Training School.
Hampton Gray was the last Canadian the be awarded the Victoria Cross, earned while flying as a naval pilot in an attack on Japan.  This stone was dedicated in May 1992.




Marker text:
Harvard plaque:
HARVARD MEMORIAL
This Harvard trainer, symbolic
of wartime activities at No.31
Service Flying Training School
Kingston, was donated by
Dr. and Mrs. Donald V. Nightingale
and was erected by the members
of 416 R.C.A.F. Association.  This
memorial is proudly dedicated to all
who served here in the Air Forces
of the Commonwealth during
World War II.

"THEIR SHOULDERS HELD THE SKY SUSPENDED;
THEY STOOD, AND EARTH'S FOUNDATIONS STAY."
ALFRED EDWARD HOUSMAN

15 SEPTEEMBER, 1985
 




Hampton Gray plaque:
IN MEMORIAM

LIEUTENANT
ROBERT HAMPTON GRAY V.C., D.S.C.
ROYAL CANADIAN NAVAL VOLUNTEER RESERVE

LIEUT. GRAY TRAINED AS A PILOT
AT THIS AIRFIELD DURING
THE PERIOD JUNE-SEPT. 1941

IN WORLD WAR II LIEUT. GRAY WAS THE
ONLY CANADIAN NAVAL RECIPIENT OF  THE
VICTORIA CROSS
WHICH WAS AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY
FOR HIS GALLANT AND SUCCESSFUL
ATTACK ON A JAPANESE DESTROYER
ON 9 AUGUST 1945

WE ALSO REMEMBER
THE 23 BRAVE YOUNG MEN OF
THE FLEET AIR ARM FROM
BRITAIN AND THE COMMONWEALTH
WHO LOST THEIR LIVES DURING
FLYING TRAINING AT THIS STATION
DURING WORLD WAR II

CANADIAN NAVAL AIR GROUP
HAMPTON GRAY V.C. CHAPTER
MAY 1992