Name
Frank Gray
23 November 1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/10/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
PO/2422 (S)
Royal Marine Light Infantry
1st R.M. Bn. Royal Naval Division.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VIS-EN-ARTOIS MEMORIAL
Panel 1.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
He was born in Hitchin, Hertfordshire on 23 November 1880 and his parents were William and Jane Gray.
In 1891 the family were living at Ickleford Road, Hitchin. Present were both parents: William (29) and Jane (31), with William and working as a coachman domestic. Their children were: William George (8), Elizabeth (7), Minnie (5), Herbert (3) and Frank (1).
In 1901 the family were living at 48 Florence Street, Hitchin. By this census William had died and jane was listed as head of the household and working as a laundress. Of the children listed above only Elizabeth and Frank were present, but they had be joined by Ellen (9), Alice (7), Edward (5) and Albert (3).
By 1911 Frank had left the family home and was working as a shop manager and boarding in the home of the Dolby family at 6 Hainton Avenue, Clee, Lincolnshire.
He enlisted on 12 December 1915 and he was described as 26 years and 1 month and had confirmed that had been the manager of a boot shop.
Wartime Service
His service record is limited and nothing is recorded until 8 September 1918 when he was stationed at a depot until 25th October 1915, The following day he was transferred to the 1st Reserve R.M.L.I (Royal Marine Light Infantry) until 31 December 1917, but then the note appears to be ditto until 5 August 1918, at which point he was transferred to the Royal Marine Battalion – there is a note above all of this which reads transferred from the Army, Army Service allowed to reckon towards limited engagement of 5-days.
His Service Number was P0.2422.S and the Royal Marine Light Infantry was part of the 1st Royal Marine Battalion, 188th Brigade, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division in XVIl Corps of the Third Army. The circumstances of his death have not been discovered.
On the day of his death the 188th Brigade were in front of Niergnies during the Battle of Cambrai which took place on the 8th/9th October 1918. They commenced their attack at 4.30am, were thrown back, but by 10.00am went forward again and by late afternoon Niergnies, about one mile south east of Cambrai, was firmly in their hands.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Panel 1 of the Vis-en-Artois Memorial to the Missing at Haucourt in France.
Additional Information
His pension cards record Mrs Jane Gray, his mother, as his dependant, living at 13 Water Lane, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 14s a week from 10 April 1918.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines, Jonty Wild
