Percy Gray

Died

:

2 January 1939

Age

:

43

Rank

:

Police Constable

Force

:

Admiralty Civil Police

Cause

:

Road Traffic Collision (RTC)

Duty Status

:

Travelling From

Roll of Honour Citation

Fatally injured as a passenger in an early-morning road traffic collision while returning home from night duty.

Having finished night duty at the Royal Naval Hospital, PC Gray was being taken home by a colleague in the early hours when they approached a crossroads at the junction of Molesworth Road and Wilton Street, Plymouth, where the traffic lights were deactivated at night time.

As they pulled out into the junction they collided with a taxi, causing extensive damage to both vehicles and injuries to all involved. Percy and his colleague were thrown from their vehicle into the roadway. PC Gray suffered a fractured skull and died at the scene. Police attended and with the support of St. John Ambulance all were taken to the Prince of Wales Hospital.

The Coroner later observed the cost savings of not illuminating the traffic lights at night time was hardly worth the cost of human life and recommended they be activated.