Person

Before the war Edward Gregg worked as a miner and and lived in Birtley, with his family. According to the 1911 census, Edward was a widower at the age of 22. The marriage indexes contain a marriage for the Chester le Street registration district for an Edward Gregg and Alice Marshall. The death indexes then show the death of Alice in 1909. There are at least two other marriages for men named Edward Gregg, dated 1911 and 1919. It has not been possible to confirm whether this is the same man.

Edward Gregg enlisted in the Territorial Force, 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry (DLI) in 1910. According to his service records he attended camps at Rothbury, Strensall and Scarborough before the war. In February 1914 he re-engaged for two years. When this period elapsed he was retained for service. However, by that he time he was already a prisoner of war in Germany.

This information appeared in the published Chester le Street Chronicle, 14 June 1918:

“Pte. Edward Gregg, D.L.I., whose parents live at Lingley Cottage, Front Street, Sacriston, was announced to be missing, but later information states he is a prisoner of war in Germany. He joined up two years ago, and after only four months was transferred to France. Prior to enlisting he was employed at Sacriston Colliery. Another son, Pte. Wilfred Gregg, recently joined up, and is attached to the Lincolns.”

According to his International Red Cross record, he was taken prisoner of war at Ypres on 25 April 1915. He was then interned at Friedrichsfeld Prisoner of War camp.
grandeguerre.icrc.org

It seems likely that he was back in England by December 1918 as he was then posted to the Depot.

Civil Parish: Witton Gilbert

Birth date: 24-Sep-1888

Armed force/civilian: Army

Residence: Felling, Durham (Birthplace) (Army Service Record)
Lingley Cottage, Front Street, Sacriston (parents)
2 Model Cottages, Birtley (Army Service Record)
15 Cuthbert Street, Birtley (1924, Army Service Record)

Employment: Miner (Army Service Record)

Family: Mother: Margaret Jane Gregg (1911 Census)
Father: Henry Gregg
Sisters: Jane Gregg, Mary Gregg
Brothers: William “Wilfred” Gregg, Lincolnshire Regiment., Henry Gregg (1911 Census)

Military service:

Enlisted: Aged 21 years and 5 months
Territorial Force of County Durham, 8th Battalion Durham Light Infantry
Transferred to 3rd DLI
Private/Bugler
Regiment Number: 1435, 300066
Embarked: Folkestone 20 April 1915
Official declared missing: 26 April 1915 (Army Service Record)
Demoblised: 5 April 1919

Medal(s): 1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Territorial Efficiency Medal

Gender: Male

Contributed by Sacriston Heritage Group | Durham County Record Office. Jack Mulligan, Lewis Cooper and Daniel Hyatt