Name
George Gray - (265923)
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/03/1918
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
265923
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POZIERES MEMORIAL
Panel 89 and 90.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Stevenage Old Town Memorial, St Nicholas' Church Memorial, Stevenage Old Town, Holy Trinity Church Memorial Roll of Honour, Stevenage Old Town, 4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
George was born in 1892 in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, and his parents were Henry (also Harry) and Ann Gray and (née Lake) who married in Stevenage on 25 December 1884
In 1891, before George’s birth, the family were living in Back Lane, Stevenage. Present were both parents: Henry (30) and Ann (34), with Henry working as a general labourer. Their children were: Noah (Lake – stepson (12), Nellie (6), Mary Ann (4) and Lizzie (2).
In 1901 the family were still living at Back Lane, Stevenage. Present were both parents, Henry still a general labourer. Of their children Noah and Nellie were absent and Mary and Lizzie and new siblings George (9), Bessie (6) and Jessie (3).
By 1911 the family had moved to Pratts Yard, Stevenage. Present were both parents, Harry had been working as a jobbing gardener but was now recorded as unable to work. Of the children only Mary, Lizzie, Bessie and Jesse were still at home. The census recorded Henry and Ann had been married for 26 years with 7 children, of whom 2 had died.
George was living at Crow End, Graveley, Stevenage, in the home of Noah (34) and Gertrude Lake (40), Noah being his half-brother. George at 19 was working as a sawing machine worker in a church and school furniture factory.
It seems that George’s father, Henry died in 1916
Before the war George had worked as an agricultural worker and then on the new railway between Hertford and Stevenage.
Officially he was recorded as living in Stevenage when he enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
He initially served as Private 3265 suggesting he enlisted between 6 September and 4 November 1914 and was posted to France on the 21st January 1915 where served continually with the Battalion and took part in the Battles of Festubert and Loos.
On the 21st March 1918 the Germans began a major offensive against the British Armies in the Somme sector, the attack fell on the British line between Arras and St. Quentin. The Hertfordshire Regiment were being held in reserve near Gurlu Wood.
The Battalion moved forward to positions near Villers Faucon to support the troops of the 16th Division who were retreating under the ferocity of the enemy attack. There was much confused fighting during the retreat and many casualties were suffered.
By the 27th March the Brigades of the 39th Division had lost contact with their Headquarters, which was practically surrounded. Casualties had continued to mount and by this time there were just four officers remaining to command the troops.
On the morning of the 28th March the 39th Division began to withdraw but found that German troops were in their line of retreat. The 166th Brigade, including the remnants of the 1st Hertfordshire Battalion, attacked the village of Wiencourt in an effort to force their way through. The men advanced with great determination but the assault soon fizzled out due to the sheer lack of troops and no proper supporting fire from artillery. By the evening the men of the Battalion, reported to still be in good spirits, had reached a position near the River Luce. The withdrawal continued throughout the 29th with the Battalion assembling in a wood about a mile north-west of Aubercourt. The following day the confused fighting continued resulting in further casualties, including George Gray.
The men of the 1st Hertfordshire’s had withdrawn a distance of 30 miles, as the crow flies. They had marched many more miles than this and had been fighting almost continuously all the way.
George has no known grave, and his name is recorded on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France
Additional Information
After his death £8 8s 11d pay owing was authorised to go to his mother Ann on 17 July 1918. Later, a war gratuity of £19 10s was authorised to be paid to her on 19 November 1919.
His pension cards record Mrs Ann Gray as his mother and as his dependant, living at 10 Hillards Road, Stevenage. She was awarded a pension of 10s a week from 22 October 1918.
A brother also served.
Acknowledgments
Paul Johnson, Jonty Wild
