Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lawrence (Lawrie) Stuart Gray was born in Mount Gambier, South Australia on 13th March 1926.  He was the second child of Charles and Vera, with siblings Nancy, Charles (known as Bruce) and Margaret.
Lawrie attended Kalangadoo Primary School from 1932 to 1939.
Lawrie suffered a lot of asthma when he was young but grew out of it to a certain extent.
Lawrie and Bruce had smelly ferrets and used to go rabbiting at weekends and school holidays as there was a rabbit plague on at that time. They would dry the skins and sell them, making quite a bit of money. They were only 12 and 13 years old then.
His first job was with a bee keeper around Naracoorte, then milking cows in the Mount for Alf Schmidt who had a milk round.
When war came Lawrie was far too young but joined a kind of cadet course by mail. As soon as he turned eighteen he enlisted on the 11th July 1944, at the number 5 Recruiting Centre on King William Street, Adelaide.
LAC Gray completed a number of courses from the 13th July 1944 until the 24th February 1945, being a Recruit Drill course, a Trainee Flight Mechanic course and a Trainee Fitter course in which he passed all three courses.
It is believed these courses were held at the RAAF Base Wagga. The RAAF School of Technical Training provide initial training for aviation technical trades and the No 1 Engineering School at Ascot Vale, Victoria.
LAC Gray became ill in late December 1944 and spent several days in the No 2 RAAF Hospital which was located at the Melbourne Showgrounds at Ascot Vale, Victoria,
March 1945 LAC Gray was posted to the No 2 Operational Training Unit (2OTU) - RAAF— Mildura. Operational Training Unit was the last stage of training for aircrew before being assigned to an operational unit. It’s responsibility was to provided training through the use of lectures and flying activities on a wide range of aircraft, including P-40 Kittyhawks, Vultee Vengeances, Avro Ansons, CAC Boomerangs, Supermarine Spitfires and Airspeed Oxfords, until the trainees knew practically everything there was to know about fighter tactics.
Fortunately with the end of World War 2, he was not deployed overseas.
LAC Gray was discharged on the 15th March 1946 due to demobilisation.
On returning to Kalangadoo after WW2 Lawrie and his brother, Bruce,  with the assistance of finance from their father, Charles, opened a store in John Street known as The Gray Brothers. This was opposite to where the current general store is and was purchased from Mr B Ploenges.
Lawrie was a keen footballer playing in the 1950 Kalangadoo A grade premiership team. Unfortunately he missed playing in the 1952 Grand Final due to a broken collarbone. 
He enjoyed going to dances with his younger brother, Bruce.  It was at one of these dances that he met Yvonne Klieve from Mount Gambier.  
Lawrie and Yvonne were married on 7th April 1956 in Mount Gambier and made their home in Kalangadoo. They began married life in a sleepout in Lawrie’s parents’ home until they were able to afford their first home opposite St Joseph’s Catholic Church. 
They welcomed their first child, Judith, in 1957. Following this they had 5 more children, Maryanne in 1959, Naomi in 1964, Cathryn in 1965, Mark in 1969 and Louise in 1971.
Lawrie and Bruce built a new store in 1961 across the road from the original one in John Street and shortly after Lawrie bought out his brother to run it as a sole trader and the name was changed to Gray’s 4 Square.
He was also a committee member of the Kalangadoo Bowling Club which was formed in 1963.  Lawrie was a keen golfer at Penola Golf Club.
Lawrie and Yvonne built a new house on South West Terrace in 1967. Lawrie also bought land in Wepar in 1969 where he ran cattle.  He sold this land in 1979 but continued to lease some of it to run the cattle on. 
Lawrie also trapped rabbits and dried out the skins which were then sold to Jim Holmes; the older children assisted with this venture. He was a regular customer at the McDonald & Humphries betting desk every Saturday morning, after carefully studying the weekend form guide.
In 1976 Lawrie and Yvonne decided to sell the shop after owning the business for 30 years. 
Lawrie got a job with Elders in Mount Gambier as an Office Clerk/Stock Agent and continued to run the cattle at Wepar. 
In 1979 they decided to sell the house in Kalangadoo and bought a house with acreage at Wandilo. They called this property Kalyra Park. Lawrie continued to work at Elders whilst running cattle and sheep in Wandilo, as well as the cattle in Wepar.
Kalyra Park had an abundant garden of various proteas. Lawrie sold the flowers and seeds to a Melbourne flower company and would bundle them up and freight them via rail to Melbourne.  The younger children assisted with this venture.
Lawrie was also a keen bird breeder and kept various parrots and budgies.  He would breed and sell the birds across the region. 
Tragically on 1st December 1982 Lawrie suffered a heart attack and passed away in Mount Gambier Hospital, aged 56. He was interred at Carinya Gardens Cemetery in Mount Gambier.

A Brave Soldier at Rest
Lest We Forget