Soldier Record
John Gray
Contributed by: Mona, on 2008-11-11
| Rank | |
|---|---|
| First Name | John |
| Surname | Gray |
| Year of Birth | 1879 |
| Year of Death | 1916 |
| Regiment | Durham Light Infantry |
| Place of Wartime Residence | Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, Durham |
John's Story
In memory of another father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather who made the supreme sacrifice
"Regarded as having died" on the 5th November 1916 when the Durham soldiers fought their last action of the Battle of the Somme on the Butte de Warlencourt. This small hill was a prehistoric burial mound about 15 metres high on the road from Albert to Bapaume. The attack was launched in heavy rain and gale force winds. The trenches were filled with water and even before the whistles blew, every man was cold, drenched to the skin and caked in thick mud. The attack was a failure. Over 130 Durham men had been killed, with 400 wounded and 300 missing - most of whom had been lost in the mud. Private John Gray was a volunteer who never returned. There is no grave to visit. He left behind a wife and five young children
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