The Scottish War Graves Project

Tonym · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 91 Location: East Sussex

The above lady is buried in Sandymount Cemetery, Springboig, Glasgow. She died on 3rd November 1965 aged 31. and has become a problem lady.
1 - The only possible connection that I can find between her and the Royal Canadian Air Force is that a RCAF Detachment was based in Prestwick, where Scottish Aviation; subsequently British Aerospace; held a contract to perform major overhauls on CF104 aircraft based in Germany. The RCAF detachment had a CF104 Pilot who performed acceptance tests on newly overhauled aircraft and flew them back to Germany.

2 - Committing the sin of assumption I have assumed that Marie Gray was either an Executive or Highly qualified employee of Scottish Aviation and was either Head-hunted or applied for a commission with the RCAF.

3 - I can find no Death Certificate for her on Scotlands People or the
National Archives London so must assume that she died outside the United Kingdom. One thought is "Did she accompany the pilot, for whatever reason, on one of these flights that ended in disaster?

4 - There is no record of her on Veterans Affairs Canada and they are
unable to provide any service details and have directed me to the National Library Canada who have recently advised me that it will be eight months or sooner, subject to workload, before they can advise service details.

5 - The headstone of her family grave has, what is obviously an addition, of an official RCAF commemoration cross that suggests to me that there must have been an official commemoration service that would almost certainly have had press coverage.

6 - A letter to the 'Occupier' of the address of the owner of the Lair,(19 Acorn Street, Glasgow), provided by Glasgow City Council, has been returned 'No such address'. However I do believe that the owner of the grave, her father, is the person named on the family headstone who died three years after Marie.

So I come to my request. Is there anybody who has access to Glasgow City Newspapers would have time to kindly check if there are any reports of such an event sometime in November 1965.

I daren't attempt to attach a photo of the grave I have failed to master the art on SWGP also the photographs in the Sandymount Cemetery appear to have been deleted by photobucket. So if Anne is reading this perhaps she would oblige with a pic.

I would be most obliged for any info so that this unfortunate lady can have some form of identity.

Best wishes and Seasons Greetings to all.

Tony

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

The only thing I can add at the moment is that
MARIE MURRAY GRAY's birth was registered in1933 at Denniston, Glasgow.

Ken

Tonym · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 91 Location: East Sussex

Thanks Ken

So involved in answers to the other questions hadn't got around to checking her birth date but having died on 3rd Nov. 1965 age 31 would suggest that she died before her Birthday.

Best wishes.

Tony

kenmorrison · Joined: 05 Oct 2008 Posts: 747

Tony
From findmypast

MARIE M GRAY, born 1933, sailed from Greenock to Montreal in 1957.

Emigrated, joined RCAF, died in Canada???

Ken

Tonym · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 91 Location: East Sussex

Ken

Excellent! Explains why I could not find a D.C. here.

Just goes to prove that 'Educated Guesses' are just as dangerous as 'Assumptions'.

Will have to do some work on a D.C. now.

Cheers

Tony

apanderson · Joined: 02 Oct 2007 Posts: 6903 Location: Stirlingshire

Here's some photos of Marie's stone in Sandymount Cemetery.

You can see Glasgow Council's subtle way of indicating Sections & Lairs, in this instance, Section R, Lair 1980!

Marie is first to be mentioned on the main inscription, but the cross at the top also bears her name. This particular stone has intrigued me too Tony - the cross looks like 'an official' stone, but then I don't know what an RCAF stone would look like. I get the feeling it's been a later addition as it's not particularly neat where the two stones are joined.

I've been having fun and games with Photobucket, so I've had to start a new one to post the following photos. I've tried all sorts of options to re-activate the original album but nothing seems to be working. Confused

Anne

Tonym · Joined: 07 Oct 2007 Posts: 91 Location: East Sussex