GRAYSTON, Raymond E (#133)
![Flying Officer Ray Grayston](https://www.thealanpollocksproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/GRAYSTON.jpg)
#133
Flying Officer Ray Grayston
Royal Air Force
3 October, 1918 - 15 April, 2010
“It was an adventure… we had a job to do and that was all there was to it.”
“Flying Officer Ray Grayston…was one of the last survivors of the Dambusters’ raid and was flight engineer of the Lancaster that breached the Eder Dam.
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Night fighters: La Victoire des Allies est Assuree [Victory of the Allies is Assured] (Shows Lancasters on a night raid) © Art.IWM PST 15041
![](https://www.thealanpollocksproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/IWM-CH-11049-Grayston.jpg)
In this famous photograph, taken at Scampton, Ray is at the front right: “AIRCREW WHO ATTACKED THE GERMAN DAMS ON THE NIGHT OF MAY 16/17. 1943 (CH 11049) Aircrew who participated in the daring attack on the German dams. Back row left to right: Sgt F Sutherland, Pilot Officer R.G. Kellow, Sgt H.E.O’Brian. Front row left to right: Pilot Officer H.S Habday, Pilot Officer E Johnson, Pilot Officer L.G Knight, Sgt R.G Grayson” Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205260100
After a few weeks’ concentrated training at very low level (on one occasion Knight flew under high tension cables near King’s Lynn), Operation Chastise was ordered for the night of May 16/17 1943.
![](https://www.thealanpollocksproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Dambusters-©-IWM-MH-3780.jpg)
OPERATION CHASTISE (THE DAMBUSTERS’ RAID) 16 – 17 MAY 1943 (MH 3780) The Targets: An oblique view of the scale briefing model of the Sorpe Dam. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205132711
The primary aim was to breach the Mohne Dam, with those aircraft not required for that target heading eastwards to attack the Eder Dam. Knight and his crew took off from Scampton with the main force, but before they were due to drop their “Upkeep” bouncing bomb, the Mohne was breached. Led by Guy Gibson, the three Lancasters that still had their bombs headed for the Eder.
![](https://www.thealanpollocksproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Dambusters-©-IWM-C-3718.jpg)
OPERATION CHASTISE (THE DAMBUSTERS’ RAID) 16 – 17 MAY 1943 (C 3718) The Targets: A (vertical) reconnaissance photo of the Eder Dam taken before the raid. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205022177
This dam was surrounded by steep hills and presented a more difficult target than the Mohne. Settling at the required height of 60ft proved very difficult, and the first two aircraft made numerous attempts before dropping their bombs. One was accurate, but failed to breach the dam; the second exploded on the dam’s parapet.
![](https://www.thealanpollocksproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Dambusters-©-IWM-CH-9718.jpg)
OPERATION CHASTISE (THE DAMBUSTERS’ RAID) 16 – 17 MAY 1943 (CH 9718) The Targets: A (vertical) reconnaissance photograph showing massive flooding in the Eder Valley. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205022180
This left Knight with the only remaining bomb. After two failed attempts, his third run was good and the weapon was dropped accurately. With Grayston applying full power, Knight hauled the Lancaster over the surrounding hills, allowing the rear gunner to have a perfect view as the bomb exploded and the dam wall crumbled.
Knight, who was awarded a DSO, and his crew arrived back at Scampton as dawn was breaking to find that eight of the 19 aircraft had failed to return.
Raymond Ernest Grayston was born on October 13 1918 at Dunsfold, Surrey. He was an automobile engineer when he volunteered for the RAF in February 1940. Initially he trained as an aircraft engineer, but in August 1942 he volunteered for the new aircrew trade of flight engineer. With a few hours’ flying time, he joined No 50 Squadron and teamed up with Knight.
On the night of September 15/16 1943, eight crews of No 617 were sent to attack an embanked stretch of the Dortmund-Ems canal near Munster. The leader was shot down en route and the remainder encountered fog in the target area.
While searching for the canal, Knight’s aircraft hit trees on a ridge, damaging the two port engines and tail unit. The 12,000lb bomb was jettisoned, and Knight and Grayston managed to coax the aircraft to 1,400ft to allow the crew to bail out.
With two dead engines and limited control, Knight had little chance of escaping. Grayston was the last to leave the aircraft, saying a final farewell to his captain. Knight attempted to crash-land, but was killed when the Lancaster exploded as it hit a bank. Only three Lancasters returned from the raid.
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An Impression of the Commemorative Vault built at Sagan showing Officers Working in the Grounds of Stalag Luft III
Cemetery by B. Ley Kenyon (1944) © IWM Art.IWM ART LD 4705
Grayston landed uninjured but was captured almost immediately. He was sent to Stalag Luft III, remaining there until January 1945 when the PoWs were forced to march westwards on what became known as the Long March. He reached Stalag IVA at Luckenwalde where, after three months, he was liberated and flown back to England.
![](https://www.thealanpollocksproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Model_Stalag_Luft_III.jpg)
Model of the set used to film the movie The Great Escape. It depicts a smaller version of a single compound in Stalag Luft III. The model is now at the museum near where the prison camp was located.
After leaving the RAF he joined Hawker Siddeley at Dunsfold and worked on the Hunter, Harrier and Hawk aircraft as a quality inspector. He retired in 1984 as chief inspector at British Aerospace (Military Division), based at Kingston.
Grayston was always amazed at the “fuss” made about the Dams’ raid, especially the difficulties encountered at the Eder Dam. In 2003, during filming for a television programme, he was able to fly in a restored Lancaster. The low-level flight was some 300ft higher than the Dams attack – and in daylight. For the first time in his life he exclaimed that he had “no idea how we did it”, going on to say: “It was an adventure… we had a job to do and that was all there was to it.”
![](https://www.thealanpollocksproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Former-headquarters-building-of-Stalag-III-A-Luckenwalde-2010-Max-78-Own-work-CC-BY-SA-3.0.jpg)
Former headquarters building of Stalag III-A Luckenwalde, 2010 (Max-78, CC BY-SA 3.0)
A keen and successful amateur sportsman all his life, he played football and cricket – but golf was his greatest passion.
Ray Grayston, who died on April 15, 2010, is survived by his wife, Sylvia, and their son.” (Obituary courtesy of The Daily Telegraph)
![](https://www.thealanpollocksproject.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Dambusters-©-IWM-TR-1000.jpg)
THE VISIT OF HM KING GEORGE VI TO NO 617 SQUADRON (THE DAMBUSTERS), ROYAL AIR FORCE, SCAMPTON, LINCOLNSHIRE, 27 MAY 1943 (TR 1000) The King inspects ground crewmen lined up beneath the nose of Avro Lancaster B Mark I, ED989, DX-F, ‘Frederick III’, which bears a motif derived from a caricature of Wing Commander Campbell Hopcroft, the Commanding Officer of No 57 Squadron which shared Scampton with No 617 Squadron at this time. Copyright: © IWM. Original Source: http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205188608