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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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91 Squadron Crest
24.09.1943 No 91 Squadron Spitfire F.XII MB805 Fl/Lt. Stenborg DFC

Operation: Ramrod

Date: 24th September 1943 (Friday)

Unit: No. 91 Squadron (11 Group)

Type: Spitfire F.XII

Serial: MB805

Code: DL-?

Base: RAF Westhampnett, Sussex

Location: Between Crillon and Villers-Sur-Bonnières, France

Pilot: Fl/Lt. Gray Stenborg DFC. NZ/402494 RNZAF Age 21. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

This New Zealand air ace with a total of 14 and 1 shared enemy aircraft destroyed with a further 3 classed as damaged was a great loss. He had previously served with 111, 185 and 485 Squadrons and had an earlier lucky escape when he was shot down off Delimara Point in Malta. He was rescued by an Air Sear Rescue launch.

On this operation they were escorting bombers to Beauvais in France. His aircraft ws seen to be streaming Glycol after combat with a large number of enemy aircraft close to the target area. It has been established that he crashed at 16:00 hrs between Crillon and Villers-Sur-Bonnières, France.

Burial details:

Fl/Lt. Gray Stenborg DFC. Marissel French National Cemetery. Grav 205. Born on the 13th October 1921, the son of Gunnar Stenborg and of Ruby Amelia Stenborg (née Moore), of Howick, Auckland, New Zealand. A total of 735 flying hours logged and having completed some 188 operational sorties.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to the research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland War Memorial Museum, Weekly News of New Zealand, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 01.10.2018

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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