OBITUARY: Eric Wray

March 21st, 2008 by JCB
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OBITUARY.

Eric Wray 1923 -2007.

Retired Shoreham pilot Eric Wray died on the 7^th of October 2007. He was born in Richmond North Yorkshire in 1923, the son of a policeman he lived in various locations around the county acquiring a broad education and an enduring love for the area.

With the war clouds gathering Eric was determined to do his ‘bit” by joining the R.A.F. However he was too young to enlist and so decided to follow his elder brother into the merchant service. Indentured to the Rowland and Marwood Steamship Company (later Hedlams of Whitby) and not yet sixteen Eric shipped out of Hull in the Kildale during August 1939 bound for the river Plate to load grain.

His war service was spent mainly in the Atlantic theatre. He was within earshot of the Battle of the River Plate in December 1939, mined in the North Sea in 1940 and involved in the evacuation of Norway. His indentures were mutually closed, before expiry, in February 1942 ” as a wartime measure” to enable him to sit for 2nd mates. However by the time the “Pool” allowed him sufficient leave it was early 1944 before he attended the Nellis brother’s navigation school in Newcastle and passed. Eric served as 3rd and 2nd mate in a variety of wartime tonnage including Park, Empire and Fort class ships, his experiences were too numerous to recount here.

After 5 years engaged on Atlantic convoys and with the end of the war in sight he married Margery in January 1945, the beginning of what was to prove a long and happy marriage. However a voyage on the Prince Albert Park in 1948 provided for an unusually long separation of nearly two years. A coal cargo to Australia had to be discharged and loaded twice on passage due to spontaneous combustion. On final discharge, because of the delays and costs involved, the ship was newly chartered to trade around the Australian coast. Eric finally returned and signed off in Avonmouth during August 1950.

After passing for Master in 1951 Eric looked towards the coastal collier trade and by 1954 was Mate of the Pulborough being promoted Master the following year. A regular trader to Shoreham Eric was appointed and subsequently licenced by Trinity House to the district on the 14^th of May 1957. A new power station, lock, improved harbour entrance and deeper channel promised future prosperity.

Eric served the port and its shipping for 28 years, he became senior pilot in 1974 and was appointed a Sub-Commissioner on the Pilotage Committee, where he served until his retirement in 1985. A man of few words, he spoke ill of no one and took his responsibilities seriously ensuring the Shoreham pilotage service continued to provide the level of expertise and satisfaction for which it was justly proud.

He and Margery loved their caravan breaks and post retirement developed an interest in sheep dog trialing after moving back to North Yorkshire. Finally settling in Worthing Eric bore the last few years of deteriorating health with great fortitude and undiminished dogged spirit. He will be sadly missed.

Ken Wilcox.