Name
William Arthur Gray
16/06/1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
17/04/1918
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
17711
Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
NIEDERZWEHREN CEMETERY, KASSEL
IV. H. 4.
Germany
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
East Barnet Valley Memorial, New Barnet, Margaret Road School Memorial, Chipping Barnet, St James Church Memorial, New Barnet, St James the Great Church Memorial, Friern Barnet, Not on the South Mimms memorials
Pre War
William Arthur GRAY was born on 16th June 1887, in New Barnet, Hertfordshire, son of Francis (John) Gray a Plate Layer for the Great Northern Railway Co. and Betsey Gray (believed to be nee Yates). One of eight children although one died in infancy.
1891 Census records William aged 3, living with his parents, brother John (7), sisters Alice (5), and Florence (11 months), at Clarendon Cottages, Lancaster Road, East Barnet, Herts.
1901 Census, Willian aged 13, has left school and is employed as an Upholsterer’s Assistant, living with his parents, three brothers and three sisters still at Clarendon Cottages.
1911 Census records William aged 23, single, and employed as a French Polisher, a boarder with widow Ann Mawby, at 17 St John Street, Newport Pagnell, Bucks.
William married Florence Annie Atkins the daughter of Edward Atkins, on 7th August 1911, at Saint Giles Church, South Mimms, Herts. They went on to have two children Frederick Arthur Gray born in October 1913 and Doris Mary Gray born in July 1915.
Wartime Service
William enlisted in Oxford, posted to the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry with the service number 17711. On completion of his training William arrived in France on 17th December 1915.
The Germans launched their Spring Offensive (Operation Michael) on 21st March 1918, the 2nd Battalion, Ox and Bucks Light infantry were engaged at the Battle of St Quentin (21st-23rd March 1918) where William received a Gunshot wound on 23rd March 1918 and taken a Prisoner of War (POW) at Haplincourt, France.
He was initially taken to Westcourt POW Camp later transferred to Ohrdruf POW Camp where he died on the 17th April 1918, in the camp hospital of blood poisoning caused by the gunshot wound. He was initially buried in the Ohrdruf POW Camp Cemetery Grave 629. Map Ref. Sheet No. 39 A. 1.
After the war his body was reinterned at Niederzwehren Cemetery, Kassel, Hesse, Germany. Grave Ref; IV. H. 4. During the Concentration of burials into four main Cemeteries in Germany.
Additional Information
His effects of £19-14s-04d, pay owing and his war gratuity of £14-10s-00d, went to his widow Florence Annie Gray.
His Red Cross POW records are available on-line at Find my Past UK www.findmypast.co.uk.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild, Michael Gray
