Gray Stenborg

After receiving flight training in New Zealand and Canada, he was sent to England to serve with the Royal Air Force.

In June 1942, he was sent to Malta as a reinforcement pilot, flying a Supermarine Spitfire off the flight deck of HMS Eagle to the island where he joined No.

[1][2] The family lived in the Auckland suburb of Parnell and Stenborg was educated at King's College, where he played in the school's first XI.

[3] In July 1940, Stenborg joined the Royal New Zealand Air Force and underwent initial training at Whenuapai on Blackburn Baffin and Vickers Vildebeest aircraft.

[2] With mostly New Zealand flying personnel and equipped with Spitfires, this was based at Kenley and engaged in the RAF's Circus offensive.

In early June 1942, Stenborg, now a pilot officer, was sent to Malta, sailing aboard the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle as a reinforcement for the squadrons operating from the island, besieged by the Luftwaffe and Regia Aeronautica (Royal Italian Air Force).

He flew a Spitfire off the flight deck of Eagle early in the morning of 9 June and on arrival at Malta was assigned to No.

[8][9] One of four pilots from the squadron scrambled in the evening of 15 June to deal with a bombing raid on a convoy off Malta, he damaged two Junkers Ju 88 medium bombers and destroyed an escorting Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter.

[7][10] He shot down two Bf 109s on 5 July; they were part of a group of between 15 and 20 fighters escorting Ju 88s making a bombing raid on Malta.

[7][11] Another two Bf 109s were destroyed by Stenborg on 9 July, when he was part of a group of 30 Spitfires that intercepted six Ju 88s and escorting fighters raiding Takali.

[13] The citation, published on 28 July in the London Gazette, read:Pilot Officer Stenborg has displayed great determination and keenness to engage the enemy.

He was eventually able to bale out, landing in the sea 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) from Malta and taking to his inflatable dinghy before being rescued.

185 Squadron, Stenborg returned to England in late August and spent a period of time on instructing duties at No.

[2][4] This was based at Hawkinge and was equipped with Mk XII Spitfires, flying on offensive sorties to German-occupied Europe and escorting bombers.

Stenborg standing in front of a North American Harvard trainer during his time in Canada, 1941