Name
Charles William Bray
5th February 1890
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/04/1917
27 years
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
801070
Royal Field Artillery
'B' Bty. 295th Bde.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HESBECOURT COMMUNAL CEMETERY
3.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Garden of Remembrance, Great North Road, Hatfield, Hatfield in Memorium Book, Not on the Hatfield Hyde memorial, We are not aware of any memorial in Mill Green - see Hatfield Hyde & Mill Green Memorial
Pre War
Charles was born in Hatfield, Herts, on 5th February 1890, the son of George Bray and Ester Bray (nee Lawrence).
Baptised on 29th October 1893, in Hatfield, with his two brothers Edward Albert and Ernest James.
1891 Census records Charles aged 1, living with his parents, 3 brothers and 2 sisters, George, Arthur, Ernest, Annie and Gertrude, at Waterside Cottages, Mill Green, Hatfield, Herts.
He attended Hatfield C of E School and Hatfield National School between 1895 and 1904.
1901 Census records Charles aged 11, at school living with his parents, brothers Arthur 18, Ernest 15, Albert 8 and sister Laura 3 in Waterside Cottages, Mill Green, Hatfield, Herts. His father worked as a general labourer
By 1911 Charles was working as a house painter, still living with his parents 2 brothers and sister Laura 13, at Waterside Cottages, Hill Green, Hatfield, Herts.
Charles married Edith M. Staines in Barnet in 1915; they had two sons Harold and Cyril. Cyril died aged 5 months in March 1917.
Officially recorded as born in Hatfield when he enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
Charles enlisted in Hertford, Hertfordshire becoming Gunner 801070, Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery.
The Bishop’s Hatfield Parish Magazine of December 1915, in the 16th List of Men Mobilised from Hatfield, recorded: “Bray, Charles William – Chapman’s Yard – R.F.A., Herts. Regt.” Then in May 1917: “Killed – Charles Bray, R.F.A. ....Our very deep sympathy with the relatives and friends of the men mentioned ....who have fallen in the service of their King and Country.”
The Herts. Advertiser of 12th May 1917 reported: “Gunner C W Bray – Much sympathy is felt for Mrs Bray, whose husband, Gunner C W Bray is reported to have been killed in action on April 7th. He had only been in France about three weeks. He was 27 years of age. Gunner Bray’s wife suffered the loss of her six months old child a fortnight before her husband was killed.”
Awarded Victory Medal & British War Medal.
Additional Information
Charles's effects of £9-1-2 was left to his widow Edith and Child.
Hatfield Parish Council Souvenir Committee Ledger: Mrs Bray (Widow) c/o Mrs Staines, Arm & Sword Yard, Hatfield received an “In Memoriam and Roll of Honour Album”.
It appears that Charles joined at he same time as William Buck from Hatfield as they have consecutive numbers.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Stuart Osborne, Christine & Derek Martindale, Hatfield Local History Society (www.hatfieldhistory.uk)
