Person

Edward Fenwick Gray was the youngest child of Northumberland born parents Andrew and Elizabeth Gray. He was born on 5th July 1895 and was baptised in Holy Trinity Church, Gateshead; he had six living siblings. His father, Andrew, was a weigh machine maker, but at the time of the 1911 census he was an inmate in the High Teams Union Workhouse, Gateshead. He died there at the end of 1915. Elizabeth meanwhile was living in Ashington, Northumberland with Edward and his brother Fred who were both coal miners.

Edward’s older sister Annie had emigrated to Canada in 1903 and lived in Winnipeg with her husband and children. His sister Esther had emigrated in 1909. Edward and his mother and older brother Thomas arrived on the SS Laurentic in November 1911 and in July 1913 Fred arrived to live with the rest of the family in Winnipeg.

Working as a teamster, on 24th September 1914 nineteen year old Edward enlisted with the 6th (Fort Garry Horse) Battalion at Valcartier, having first been mobilised with the 34th Fort Garry Horse (FGH) Regiment. His separation allowance was authorised to his mother and his pay to his sister Nellie in Gateshead. At the end of the month Private 15468 sailed with the battalion on board SS Lapland from Quebec to Devonport. On arrival he was posted to West Down Camp on Salisbury Plain as part of the 2nd Infantry Brigade.

Most of the men were not happy about being designated as an infantry battalion. The CO lobbied to have his unit redesignated as cavalry and in January 1915 the 6th FGH Infantry became the FGH Regiment of the Canadian Cavalry Brigade. They were assigned to the role of a reserve and training unit based at Jellalabad Barracks at nearby Tidworth.

In March 1915 Private Gray was posted to the Royal Canadian Dragoons at Maresfield, Sussex and assigned to the Machine Gun Squadron. He travelled with them to France at the beginning of May. Just two weeks later he was fined $10 and awarded ten days’ punishment for “wilfully destroying property without orders from a superior officer”; both of which were remitted three months later.

Edward remained in France for his leave in December 1915 and was transferred to the MG Squadron, Canadian Cavalry Brigade in February 1916.

September 1917 saw Private Gray placed under stoppage of pay for, “when on active service, losing by neglect one bandolier” and also “for being improperly dressed in charge of a team.” On Boxing Day whilst opening a tin of meat Edward cut his right index finger. The wound became infected and travelled up his arm causing him to be invalided to England and admitted to 2nd Birmingham War Hospital. After five months treatment he was declared to be fit for duty, but remained in England. He was attached to Maresfield Depot until his return to Canada on the SS Empress of Britain in mid January 1919. He was demobislised from the CEF in Winnipeg on 21st February 1919.

Edward married English born Lillian Ann George in Winnipeg on 12th August 1919 and they went on to bring up seven children living in Winnipeg. He died from pneumonia on 18th September 1951 in Deer Lodge Hospital, Winnipeg and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery,

Civil Parish: Gateshead

Birth date: 05-Jul-1895

Death date: 18-Sep-1951

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: 34 Ellison Square, Gateshead (1891 census)
4 Lambton Street, Gateshead (1901 census)
4 Portland Place, Ashington, Northumberland (1911 census)
152 Jarvis Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (enlistment papers)
222 Good Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba (1916 census of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta)
1143 Alexander Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba (1921 Canadian census)
127 Worth Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Voters list 1935)
1443 Logan Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Voters list 1945)
449 Montrose Avenue, Kildonan, Manitoba (funeral notice, Winnipeg Free Press, 20 Sept 1951)

Religion: Salvation Army

Employment: Coal miner (1911 census)
Teamster (enlistment papers)

Family: Parents: Andrew Gray, Elizabeth Gray (nee Hogarth)
Siblings: Hannah Jane Gray, Thomas Stephenson Gray, Annie Hogarth Gray, Ellen Gray, James Addison Gray (died in infancy), Esther Gray, Sarah Ann Gray, Andrew Gray (died in childhood), Frederick Gray, Mary Margaret Gray (died in childhood)
Wife: Lillian Ann Gray (nee George)
Children: Elenore Elizabeth Gray, Esther Gray, Thomas Gray, Fred Gray, Edward Gray, Allan Gray + 1

Military service:

721483
Private
6th (Fort Garry Horse) Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
Royal Canadian Dragoons

Medal(s): 1914/15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal

Gender: Male

Contributed by Jean Longstaff, Durham | Jim Busby, Canada