Name
Cecil Frank Gray (*1)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/11/1924
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Stoker 1st Class
SS/203370
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Holy Saviour Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd., Hitchin, St Mary's Roll of Honour (book), Hitchin, St Faith’s Church, Walsworth, Not on the St Ippolyts memorials
Pre War
*1 Firstly a note of caution this man appears as Cyril Gray on Holy Saviour’s memorial and C Gray on the St Faith’s memorial. Searches of the CWGC and SDITGW databases have only revealed Cyril Henry Gray as a possible match, however although the SGITGW lists him as born in Hampthill, Herts this is much more likely to be Amthill Beds., and all other records found for him so far relate to Bedfordshire or Northampton.
There is a Cecil Frank Gray who we believe is the most likely ‘fit’ and so we provide his details until more information is found to corroborate him or another man.
The following information mainly comes from the various censuses (*2).
Cecil Frank was born around 1893 (RN records give 1891(*2) in St Ippolyts. and his appear to be parents John and Emma Gray.
Cecil has not been found in the 1891 census, which would be the case if he was born later.
In 1901 the family were living at 27 Hitchin Hill, Hitchin. Present were both parents: John (39) and Emma (37), with John and working as a distillery labourer. Their children were: John (junior, 14), William S (13), Matthew C (11) and Cecil F (7). A Victor Sutton at 9 months and born in St Pancras, London was listed as a boarder.
By 1911 the family were living at 27 Hitchin Hill, Hitchin. Present were both parents, John was still working as a distillery labourer. The census recorded they had been married for 24 years with 5 children, of whom 1 had died. Only one child was present All the children listed above were present, Frank Cecil Gray – presumably previously recorded as Cecil Frank, he was 19 and confirmed as a stoker in the Royal Navy.
Wartime Service
A local paper reported that Cecil had served in Royal Navy as Stoker SS/203370 and was in the Naval bombardment of the Dardanelles held the Persian Gulf medal and he was discharged from the navy through ill health after 6 years’ service. This information comes from this man’s pension card.
He is not listed in the CWGC database, because his death is after the cut off date for inclusion, which was 31 August 1921. However, he has an entry in the National Roll of the Great War - these were placed by relatives or friends, usually for men that served and died. It reads: “Gray, C. F., 1st Class Stoker, R.N., H.M.S. “Swiftsure.” He was serving at the outbreak of war and was engaged in the Suez Canal. In June 1915, he proceeded to the Dardanelles, where he was in action at Sedd-el-Bahr and Sulva Bay, and was afterwards employed on patrol duties in the Mediterranean. He was discharged in consequences of his service in March 1916, and holds the 1914-15 star, and the Naval General Service and Victory medals, a naval general service medal with Persian Gulf clasp.” The address given was 27, Hitchin hill, Hitchin
His service record reveals that he was born 4 October 1891(*2) in Hitchin and was formerly a grocer’s assistant. He was 5’6” tall with brown hair, grey eyes and a dark complexion. He joined the navy as a second class stoker on 30 May 1910.
He went for training at H.M.S Pembroke II until 21/10/1910, then to St George to 24/7/1911, Africa to 30/9/1911 - and during this period became Stoker 1st Class on 31/12/1912, Pembroke II to 3/9/1912, St George to 15/1/1913, Pembroke II to 19/3/1913 and then H.M.S Swiftsure to 16/11/1915. He was invalided to Portland Hospital on 15 November 1915.
It looks as though he was treated, but not brought back to full health, so was discharged in March 1916 and died much later of chronic pulmonary tuberculosis and exhaustion on 7 November 1924.
Additional Information
*2 his service record gives date of birth as 1891, the census information given above suggest 1903 or 1904., meaning that he would have been about 17 when he joined. At that time the minimum age to join was 17 with parental permission and 18 without, so perhaps he change his birth year to get around that, however this conjecture.
Cecil’s pension cards record John, his father, as his next of kin, living at 27 Hitchin Hill, Hitchin and list. It also gives details of Cecil’s brother, also John, Private 2592,
Of his older brothers, John was awarded a D.C.M. and was killed in action in 1918, William was a Gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery and Matthew, who was also in the Royal Navy, was reported to have been “on a ship that was cut in two in the Channel, and was then in the water for four and a half hours.”
