Name
Henry Gregory
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/02/1917
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
4787
Honourable Artillery Company
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ANCRE BRITISH CEMETERY, BEAUMONT-HAMEL
VII. F. 36.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hatfield Town Memorial, Hatfield In Memoriam Book
Pre War
Son of John and A. S. Gregory, of Hatfield, Herts.
In the 1891 Census, the family were living in Park Street, Hatfield. Henry (known as Harry), age 14, was the only son with five sisters, his mother, Ann Sophie and father, John were both born in Hatfield; John’s occupation was a grocer. The shop was in Park St. By 1901 Census - Henry was a pupil at St Saviours College Ardingley, Sussex. Then, in 1911, Henry was working as grocer’s assistant in his father’s Grocers and Ironmongers shop. Henry was 25 and unmarried.
Officially recorded living in Hatfield when he enlisted in Armoury House, London.
Wartime Service
Henry was Private 4787, Honourable Artillery Company.
The Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine of December 1915, in the sixteenth list of men mobilised from Hatfield, recorded: “Gregory, Harry Park St. Hon. Artillery Company.” then in March 1917: “Hatfield Roll of Honour, Henry Gregory our very deep sympathy with Mr and Mrs Gregory on the death in action of their only son.”
The Herts Advertiser dated 3rd March 1917: “Pte Harry Gregory Hatfield Humourist Gives his Life.
Much sympathy is felt for Mr and Mrs John Gregory of Park Street, Hatfield in the loss that they have sustained by the death of their only son, Harry Gregory of the Honourable Artillery Company who was killed in action on February 8th. The sad news arrived from the War Office on Thursday last and letters have been received from comrades of the dead soldier confirming it.
Pte H Gregory enlisted in November 1915 and went to the front on November 18th 1916 and therefore had been abroad only three months. Whilst in England he had the rank of corporal but when sent to France he reverted to the rank of private. It appears that he was on sentry duty alternately with a comrade and was sleeping prior to taking his turn when a shell burst and killed both of them.
Before enlistment Private Gregory was employed with his father in the grocery business in Park Street Hatfield. Possessed of a considerable talent as a humorous vocalist, he was a good deal in demand and had many friends in Hatfield and neighbourhood. He was also closely identified with cricket, football and tennis and in that connection enjoyed a good deal of popularity. He was thirty years of age. Many letters of sympathy and admiration have reached the bereaved parents.
A comrade who was with Private Gregory at the time he met his death writes to Mr Gregory describing the circumstances. He states that Private Gregory was killed instantly and while asleep. “Our regiment”, he writes “had advanced and took a road line of German fighters (????). We got …..(?) and secured our position and beat off a counter-attack. The very next day we were subjected to a very heavy shell-fire. The only cover we had was provided by shell holes which we had to dig deeply and build parapets round. On Thursday night your son and I were in the same shell-hole on guard with two other men. About ten o’clock at night a shell burst in our fort, killed the man on sentry duty and your son (who was next on duty and asleep at the time).
Wounded the other man and buried me. I cannot tell you how I feel your son’s death. We had always been close friends since we joined. The last day we spent entirely together, we took our meals together in a shell-hole and what little sleep we could during the day. We, the men who knew him, are very sorry as he was a cheerful companion and true friend. Those that remain of his section wish me to convey their deepest sympathy in your affliction.”
Another private in the deceased’s section, in a letter to Mr and Mrs Gregory, states that Private Gregory’s death is a great loss to the section and the members feel it very much. “I much appreciate his good comradeship and always ready willingness to help on all occasions. The Fates were kind to me in the fact that after working hard for two whole nights together, digging ourselves in, making a thin very shallow trench deeper so that we had some sort of cover, a shell burst on the parapet and I was almost completely buried. Gregory was close to me but ………..and worked away and got me out again. I was put out of action though and had to go down to a field hospital for a couple of days and when I shook hands and we wished one another good luck I little thought it would be for the last time. It was two days afterwards when an advance had been made that he was mortally hit with a shell."
Awarded the Victory Medal, British War Medal.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Christine & Derek Martindale, Hatfield Local History Society (www.hatfieldhistory.uk)
