William Gray (aviator)

Lieutenant William Edrington Gray (born 11 October 1898, date of death unknown) was a World War I flying ace credited with seven aerial victories.

Gray was born in Berwick-on-Tweed, England on 11 October 1898. He joined the Royal Naval Air Service on 25 July 1917. By May 1918, when Gray went operational, the RNAS had been incorporated into the Royal Air Force. Gray was assigned to a former naval squadron, No. 213, as a Sopwith Camel pilot.

On 19 May 1918, Gray was patrolling with William Pinder. Vizefeldwebel Triebswetter of Jasta 16 pulled away from burning a Belgian observation balloon when the British pair shot him down. This began a run of victories for Gray that ran almost to war's end. Gray won a Distinguished Flying Cross on 2 November 1918. He also received two belated awards in early 1919, being Mentioned in Despatches and winning the Croix de guerre.

Gray's postwar history is unknown.

List of aerial victories
See also Aerial victory standards of World War I

Honours earned
Distinguished Flying Cross

"Since May last this officer has destroyed three enemy machines and has taken part in five low-bombing raids. He is a most efficient officer, possessing great presence of mind, and invariably displaying cool courage in difficult situations. On a recent occasion he led a formation of forty machines to bomb an aerodrome; this was most successfully accomplished, and was largely due to Lieut. Gray's able and skilful leadership.

Mentioned in Despatches gazetted on 1 January 1919.

Croix de guerre with Palme gazetted 7 February 1919