The Parachuting Parson
Reverend Major Percy Gray MBE TD MA Army Chaplains Department
Percy Gray
The Man Percy Gray was born during the second quarter of 1928 in Romford, Kent, son of William, a Labourer for HM Office of Works and Amy N nee Shotter. He had two sisters Ivy born in 1915 and Gladys 1921.
After his initial education aged 14, Percy began training at a technical school in Guildford and here he began to realise he wished to be ordained. However, in 1946 aged 18, he was called up for his two years National Service in the Royal Air Force as a Radar Fitter. After release he attended a conference run by the Church Advisory Council for the Training of the Ministry and was accepted to be ordained on condition that he qualified to pass the necessary exams to be so. He subsequently studied philosophy at London University and theology at Oxford gaining an MA; he was also a keen football and rugby player
In 1956 aged 28 he was ordained into the Church of England, his first curacy being at Sutton on the outskirts of St Helens, where he stayed until 1958 before moving to Christ Church, Bermondsey for a time and finally inducted as vicar of St. Crispin’s Bermondsey on the day the rebuilt post-war church was dedicated in 1959, he remained there for the next four decades.
During his time at St. Crispin’s, Percy became a well-known and controversial figure, gaining the soubriquet ‘The Parachuting Parson’ as he joined the Territorial Army Parachute Regiment on 24th March 1959 as a Captain, later Major with service number 460332. He was appointed as a Chaplain to the Forces and subsequently made around 75 parachute jumps, later becoming Chaplain to the 10th Volunteer Battalion, (10 Para (V)) and taking an active role in the life of the TA .
After his initial education aged 14, Percy began training at a technical school in Guildford and here he began to realise he wished to be ordained. However, in 1946 aged 18, he was called up for his two years National Service in the Royal Air Force as a Radar Fitter. After release he attended a conference run by the Church Advisory Council for the Training of the Ministry and was accepted to be ordained on condition that he qualified to pass the necessary exams to be so. He subsequently studied philosophy at London University and theology at Oxford gaining an MA; he was also a keen football and rugby player
In 1956 aged 28 he was ordained into the Church of England, his first curacy being at Sutton on the outskirts of St Helens, where he stayed until 1958 before moving to Christ Church, Bermondsey for a time and finally inducted as vicar of St. Crispin’s Bermondsey on the day the rebuilt post-war church was dedicated in 1959, he remained there for the next four decades.
During his time at St. Crispin’s, Percy became a well-known and controversial figure, gaining the soubriquet ‘The Parachuting Parson’ as he joined the Territorial Army Parachute Regiment on 24th March 1959 as a Captain, later Major with service number 460332. He was appointed as a Chaplain to the Forces and subsequently made around 75 parachute jumps, later becoming Chaplain to the 10th Volunteer Battalion, (10 Para (V)) and taking an active role in the life of the TA .
Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Civil). Efficiency Decoration 'T&AVR'. Cadet Forces Medal and clasp.
In the early 1960s he became locked in a bitter dispute with the Bishop of Southwark Dr Mervyn Stockwood who refused to visit St. Crispin’s parish, Percy was suspicious it was due to politics as he (Percy) was right of centre, whereas the Bishop was to the left. The dispute was reported by newspapers as far afield as Australia and Canada, but in 1965 the Bishop’s ban was lifted after the two men reconciled and Dr Stockwood visited St Crispin’s giving communion to Percy.
In August 1962 Percy took part in a training exercise with the 289 Paratroop Regiment TA in Singapore and Malaya involving more parachute jumps. Just two weeks later on Saturday 1st September 1962 aged 33 he married Frances Mary Harding in his church, St Crispins, the service being attended by several friends and in March 1965 was appointed as Chaplain to the Forces 4th class.
In January 1970, he held a memorial service at this church for two Glaswegian Police Officers who had been shot the previous December. The service was attended by three representatives from the Glasgow Force, Members of Parliament, the Police and Prison Officers’ Associations. Percy became a strong proponent for the return of the death penalty in the UK for gun carrying killers and was President of the Citizens’ Protection Society. As part of the Campaign to Restore Capital Punishment he lobbied MPs at Westminster in 1970 to bring back hanging, travelling to London with Maureen Richardson, whose Police Officer husband had been killed on duty, to hand in a petition signed by more than 250,000 people to the House of Commons. His stance drew criticism from members of the public and an unscheduled clash with Methodist Minister Lord Soper was broadcast to the nation on ITN’s News at Ten.
In August 1962 Percy took part in a training exercise with the 289 Paratroop Regiment TA in Singapore and Malaya involving more parachute jumps. Just two weeks later on Saturday 1st September 1962 aged 33 he married Frances Mary Harding in his church, St Crispins, the service being attended by several friends and in March 1965 was appointed as Chaplain to the Forces 4th class.
In January 1970, he held a memorial service at this church for two Glaswegian Police Officers who had been shot the previous December. The service was attended by three representatives from the Glasgow Force, Members of Parliament, the Police and Prison Officers’ Associations. Percy became a strong proponent for the return of the death penalty in the UK for gun carrying killers and was President of the Citizens’ Protection Society. As part of the Campaign to Restore Capital Punishment he lobbied MPs at Westminster in 1970 to bring back hanging, travelling to London with Maureen Richardson, whose Police Officer husband had been killed on duty, to hand in a petition signed by more than 250,000 people to the House of Commons. His stance drew criticism from members of the public and an unscheduled clash with Methodist Minister Lord Soper was broadcast to the nation on ITN’s News at Ten.
Petition calling for the restoration of the death penalty presented by Percy Gray to he House of Commons April 1972.
In 1970 he was also heavily involved in trying to have Nunhead Cemetery Southwark, re-opened. It had been closed by the local authority in January 1969 due to maintenance costs, following several black magic grave desecrations, vandalism and pillaging of the chapel; he threatened to form the Royal Society for the Protection of the Dead!
In January 1971, putting to use his previous parachuting experiences Percy jumped from London Bridge - then under reconstruction - to demonstrate a new shock-absorber safety line made by a factory to which he also served as chaplain. He admitted saying his prayers beforehand then jumped, freefalling for 30 feet before being suspended 100 feet over the icy water of the Thames. He was partially repaying a debt as the MD of the firm who made the harness had helped raise funds for repairs to St Crispin’s.
In the London Gazette of 18th May 1971, he was awarded his Efficiency Decoration ‘T&AVR’ and in 1976 appointed as Chaplain to the Forces 3rd class and to the Army Cadet Force.
In 1985 he ran the London Marathon and in 1988 awarded his Cadet Forces Medal. In 1990 in his role as a governor of Bacon’s College, his intervention resulted in High Court action by the Inner London Education Authority and Southward Council in a bid to prevent the school becoming a city technology college (CTC).
Percy was a prominent local Conservative activist and president of the Bermondsey & Old Southwark Conservative Association. He was a keen supporter of Sunday trading, receiving cheers for his speech at the Conservative Party conference in Brighton in 1992 on the subject and in the 1994 New Year’s Honours list received the MBE for political and public service.
In 1996 he received the first clasp to his Cadet Forces Medal and in 1997 retired as Chaplain to the ACF and from the ministry in 1999, whereupon St Crispin’s was closed and turned into a nursery. In his later years he stood for election as Conservative candidate in Riverside Ward in 2006 and Rotherhithe Ward in 2010 being unsuccessful in both. He also enrolled as a student at Southwark College to pick up new IT skills and it wasn’t until 2012 aged 84 that he stepped down as the local organiser of the Royal British Legion’s poppy appeal in Bermondsey and Rotherhithe.’
Percy died at the age of 86 in 2014, thus ended the life of a colourful, controversial and highly interesting life of a Man of God.
In January 1971, putting to use his previous parachuting experiences Percy jumped from London Bridge - then under reconstruction - to demonstrate a new shock-absorber safety line made by a factory to which he also served as chaplain. He admitted saying his prayers beforehand then jumped, freefalling for 30 feet before being suspended 100 feet over the icy water of the Thames. He was partially repaying a debt as the MD of the firm who made the harness had helped raise funds for repairs to St Crispin’s.
In the London Gazette of 18th May 1971, he was awarded his Efficiency Decoration ‘T&AVR’ and in 1976 appointed as Chaplain to the Forces 3rd class and to the Army Cadet Force.
In 1985 he ran the London Marathon and in 1988 awarded his Cadet Forces Medal. In 1990 in his role as a governor of Bacon’s College, his intervention resulted in High Court action by the Inner London Education Authority and Southward Council in a bid to prevent the school becoming a city technology college (CTC).
Percy was a prominent local Conservative activist and president of the Bermondsey & Old Southwark Conservative Association. He was a keen supporter of Sunday trading, receiving cheers for his speech at the Conservative Party conference in Brighton in 1992 on the subject and in the 1994 New Year’s Honours list received the MBE for political and public service.
In 1996 he received the first clasp to his Cadet Forces Medal and in 1997 retired as Chaplain to the ACF and from the ministry in 1999, whereupon St Crispin’s was closed and turned into a nursery. In his later years he stood for election as Conservative candidate in Riverside Ward in 2006 and Rotherhithe Ward in 2010 being unsuccessful in both. He also enrolled as a student at Southwark College to pick up new IT skills and it wasn’t until 2012 aged 84 that he stepped down as the local organiser of the Royal British Legion’s poppy appeal in Bermondsey and Rotherhithe.’
Percy died at the age of 86 in 2014, thus ended the life of a colourful, controversial and highly interesting life of a Man of God.
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Percy's leap from London Bridge 1st January 1972. Photo's copyright Shutterstock and Bridgeman Images
The Story The medals awarded to the Reverend Percy Gray were acquired from Worcestershire Medal Services on 1st May 2025. They were of interest because of the unusual double long service combination of the Efficiency Decoration ‘T&AVR’ and Cadet Forces Medal.
It was also interesting to have a civil Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for Public and Political Service.
A lot of initial information came with the medals, but further digging on Ancestry and the newspaper archives enabled a detailed biography to be compiled.
Percy Gray was a colourful, controversial and outspoken Vicar who was also very dedicated to the Parachute Regiment and Army Cadet Force. His medals are a welcome addition to this collection.
It was also interesting to have a civil Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for Public and Political Service.
A lot of initial information came with the medals, but further digging on Ancestry and the newspaper archives enabled a detailed biography to be compiled.
Percy Gray was a colourful, controversial and outspoken Vicar who was also very dedicated to the Parachute Regiment and Army Cadet Force. His medals are a welcome addition to this collection.
Percy Gray adressing the conservative Party Conference, Brighton 1992. Photo copyright alamy.
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St Crispins with Christchurch, Bermondsy. Now a nursery.
Toronto Star. 2nd January 1971.
Medal Details:
- Member of the Most Excellent Order Of The British Empire: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Decoration: 1971
- Cadet Forces Medal: THE REV P GRAY CF3 ACF
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This page last updated 25 May 25
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