BORN HULL 1882. SON OF MARGARET LETITIA LAWRENCE (1861-1915) & ROBERT PENISTON GRAY (1859-1914). HE HAD ONE BROTHER, JOSEPH HAROLD GRAY, AT 13 JAMES STREET, HOLDERNESS ROAD, HULL. BOTH HIS PARENTS DECEASED.
HE MARRIED EMILY CLAPPISON (1884-1958), AT HOLY TRINITY, HULL, ON 25TH OCTOBER 1906. HIS WIFE, EMILY GRAY, LIVED 3 ADA’S AVENUE, ENA STREET, BOULEVARD, HULL (WAR PENSION ADDRESS). THEY HAD THREE SONS, WILFRED, ROBERT AND HAROLD.
HE WAS A HULL POSTMAN AND POST OFFICE BAND MEMBER. DESCRIBED AS 6 FEET, 2 INCHES TALL, 36-38 INCH CHEST, 140 LBS WEIGHT, “GOOD” PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT, CHURCH OF ENGLAND RELIGION.
HE ENLISTED AT HULL, ON 27TH OCTOBER 1915. POSTED OVERSEAN, ON 17TH JUNE 1916. SERVED AS A GUNNER, WITH THE 146TH HULL HEAVY BATTERY. WOUNDED TWICE BY GAS ON 16/11/1916 AND 31/07/1917. TRANSFERRED TO THE 113TH ROY GARRISON ARTILLERY. WAS KILLED IN ACTION, ON THE 20TH SEPTEMBER 1918, AGED 35. HIS ARMY EFFECTS WERE LEFT TO HIS WIDOW, EMILY.
HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL ON THE 9TH OCTOBER 1918, WITH HIS PHOTOGRAPH. *
HE IS BURIED AT VILLERS-FAUCON COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION, SOMME, FRANCE. HIS GARVE READS, “IN GREAT AND GLORIOUS COMPANY – EMILY AND HIS THREE SONS”.
HIS NAME IS RECORDED ON ST MATTHEWS CHURCH WW1 MEMORIAL. ON 18/11/1918 HIS WIDOW APPEALED TO THE DISCHARGED AND DEMOBILIZED SAILORS AND SOLDIERS CHARITY, FOR ASSISTANCE, AS SHE WAS “PRACTICALLY DESTITUTE”.
