John William Spray

Private John William Spray, enlisted on 27th January 1916 (ASR) at Hucknall he was 28 yrs and 6 months old, he lived at 4 Bestwood Road, Hucknall and was a Shetland shawl maker, his next of kin was his mother Sarah of the same address, he gave his religion as that of a Wesleyan. The following day he was placed into the reserves and on 3rd March 1916 he was mobilised for war he embarked for France on 11th July 1916 landing in Boulogne, he joined the 1/5th battalion Sherwood Foresters (Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire) Regiment, in the field on 22nd July 1916. He was killed on the night of 28th/29th April 1917 during a trench raid near Lens in northern France. He has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Arras memorial.

His brother Gunner Edwin Spray, served with the 32nd Heavy Battery Royal Garrison Artillery, he was taken prisoner on 30th November 1917. He was confirmed as being in German hands on 23rd February 1918. Born on 11th July 1885, he was the husband of Ada Spray, of 161 Portland Road, Hucknall. An article published after the death of John William Spray in the Hucknal Dispatch reads :- “Pte. John William Spray, who is one added to the list of fallen Hucknall heroes, formerly worked for Mr. Calladine in Titchfield street as a shawl hand, and residing with his mother at 4, Bestwood road, Hucknall. He joined the Forces on March, 2, 1916, and was drafted to France in July of the same year, being attached to the 5th Sherwood Foresters. He received his training at Belton Park and Marchchaple. He remained in the firing line for nine months, when letters ceased to arrive from him. He was officially reported missing on April 29, 1917, and efforts were made to get into touch with him by means of the Red Cross and Order of St. John, and other agencies. A company sergt.-major bore out the military authorities as to his being missing, stating that several men were put on that list after a raid on the enemy’s trenches. “Some time later a letter was received from the Red Cross Society, giving a copy of a letter received from Sergt. Lomas, also of the 5th Sherwood Foresters, stating that while he was on patrol the body of Pte. John William Spray was found near Lens, his identity being established by a paper bearing his name and number being found in his pocket. He must have been killed on the night of April 28, when their company made a raid. The writer stated that he buried Spray at the spot where he found him.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.