Henry Gray
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
His first name was given as 'Harry' on both the birth registration and baptismal record. Harry was the son of Frederick and Maria Gray (née Reynolds). His father Frederick was the son of William and Caroline Gray, born in 1849 at Car Colston and baptised at Car Colston St Mary in February 1849. His mother Maria Reynolds was born in Ropsley, Lincolnshire, also in 1849. They were married at Car Colston St Mary on 15 August 1876 and had eight children, two dying young. The eldest son, William, was born before their marriage; his birth was registered as William Reynolds but his surname on all other records was given as Gray: William b. Ropsley Lincolnshire 1874 bap. Ropsley December 1874; John b. Car Colston 1876 bap. Car Colston St Mary October 1878; Walter b. Car Colston 1878 bap. St Mary October 1878 d. 1878; Lizzie b. Car Colston 1879 bap. St Mary December 1879 d. 1882; Harry b. Car Colston 1881 bap. St Mary October 1881; Frederick b. Screveton 1883 bap. Screveton St Wilfrid April 1883; Joseph b. Hawton 1885 bap. Hawton All Saints June 1885 and Betsy Emma (known as Emma) b. Hawton 1887 (reg. 1888) bap. All Saints January 1888. Frederick, an agricultural labourer, and his wife probably lived in Car Colston immediately after their marriage as their second son John was born there in 1876 and they were recorded in Car Colston on the 1881 Census. They then moved to Screveton where their sixth child, Frederick, was born in 1883. However, by 1891 Frederick, a plasterpit labourer, and his family were living in Dukes Row, Parliament Street, Newark. All six children were in the home on the night of the census: William a farm labourer, John a beer bottler, Harry, Frederick, Joseph and Emma. The couple had moved to 6 Scales Row, Farndon Road, Hawton, by 1901. Frederick was employed as a labourer at an ironworks. Only their two youngest children, Joseph and Emma, were in the home on the night of the census. William, a brewer's labourer, had married Eleanor Godson in 1896 and they and their four children were living at 7 Scales Row, Hawton. John, a coal miner hewer, was living at the White Swan Inn, Skegby, Nottinghamshire, in the household of the inn keeper, George Tideswell and his family; John married George's daughter, Lucy, in 1910. Harry was living at Grange Farm, Oxton, where he was employed as a carter, while his brother Fred was a horseman on another farm in the village. Harry, a farm labourer, had returned to his parents' home at 6 Scales Row by the time of the 1911 Census. His brother William and his family were still living at 7 Scales Row. John, a carter, and his wife were living in Skegby. Joseph, a waggoner on a farm, had married Lucy Flint in 1909 and they and their young daughter were living in Derby. Emma was a domestic servant at Halam, near Southwell, Nottinghamshire, in the household of William Randall, a cottager and shoe maker. Frederick has not yet been traced on the 1911 Census. Their mother Maria died in 1917 and Harry was granted furlough to attend her funeral in the February. Their father Frederick died in 1928. According to a newspaper report of Harry's death, his brother Frederick served in the Durham Light Infantry. Frederick survived the war and in 1939 when the England & Wales Register was compiled he was living at 6 Scales Row with his sister Emma; both were unmarried.
Private Harry Gray enlisted on 3rd April 1916 at Newark and served initially with in the Lancashire Fusiliers Regiment (41100) before transferring to the Lincolnshire Regiment in the 10th (Service) Battalion (Grimsby), also known as the 'Grimsby Chums', one of the 'Pals' battalions. The 10th Battalion was one of the battalions of Kitchener's New Armies and was formed on 9 September by the Mayor and town of Grimsby. In June 1915 it came under the command of 101st Brigade, 34th Division. The Division served in France from early January 1916. During the 2nd Battle of Arras (9 April 1917-16 May 1916), the Battalion took part in an attack on the town of Reoux and its chemical works which were heavily fortified positions. The attack began at 0415 on 28 April but faced with heavy mortar and machine gun fire the attack was soon broken up and units dispersed. The Germans counter-attacked at 0800 resulting in a British retreat. The 10th Battalion was withdrawn from the line on 30 April. Harry was reported missing in action on 28 April 1917, his death not being confirmed until June 1917. His body was recovered and he is buried in Roeux British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France (grave ref. B.37). He qualified for the British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of Roeux British Cemetery (extract): The village of Roeux is 13km from Arras. 'Roeux was built over a system of caves which helped to make its capture in 1917 exceptionally difficult ... Roeux British Cemetery was made by fighting units between April and November 1917.' (www.cwgc.org)
Harry Gray's nephew, John Henry Gray, the son of his brother William and his wife Ellen, served with the 1st Bn East Yorkshire Regiment (52716 Private) and was killed in action on 26 August 1918. (See record on this Roll of Honour) 10th (Service) Battalion (Grimsby): there is a memorial and a Book of Remembrance/Roll of Honour (WMR 21919) in St James Church, James Street, Grimsby DN31 1JR. Harry Gray's name is inscribed in the Book of Remembrance. Newark Advertiser, 4 July 1917 (with photograph): ‘Pte H Gray, Newark. Information has been received by Mr Fredk. Gray, of 6 Scarles-row, Newark, that his third son, Pte H Gray, has been killed. He has been missing since April 28th, and on Wednesday last a communication was received from the War Office, stating that he was killed on that date. He was home in February to attend the funeral of his mother, and a week later came home for his final leave. Deceased was 36 (sic) years of age and was a native of Newark. He attended Hawton school, and after leaving there entered the employ of Mr Joseph Bembridge, where he remained up to the time of his enlistment on April 3rd, 1916. His younger brother, Pte Fred Gray, Durham Light Infantry is at present undergoing training in England.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Registers of Soldiers' Effects: his father, Frederick, was his legatee.
