Leatherhead War Memorials : Reginald Gray

Town Memorial P3.R4.C2

Pte
Reginald W. Gray
5th [7th*] Royal West Surrey Regt.,
France
July 1 1916

Taken Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
The Regimental records of the Queen's state that Reginald Gray was born in Leatherhead, enlisted at Guildford and was 'killed in action'. ¹

* However he was not with the 5th Bn., which had departed for India on the outbreak of war, but with the 7th Battalion.

What could and did frequently happen to a young British infantry battalion in the 1914-18 war is told in the entries in the unit's War Diary for 1st July 1916.

The battalion had already suffered before the attack.² The War Diary states: "Whilst holding the brigade battlefront for two days prior to the assault [the battalion] lost 40 casualties and became somewhat exhausted by enemy shelling."

On 1st July the War Diary states:
"At 7.30am the battalion assaulted the German trenches to the front of A1 subsection on a front of 400 yards."
"After 12 hours of fighting the final objective West of Montauban reached and consolidated on a front of 280 yards."

One party from the battalion and some Pioneers from the Royal Sussex bombed their way into 'Middle Avenue' and 'back trench', taking 160 prisoners. However the Diary speaks of "the battalion being decimated". It was worse - it was halved:

532 officers and men became casualties: Reginald Gray was among the 174 Other Rank dead. Another bad day was to come on 13th July 1916 - see Private Edgar Brooks.

Sources
1.Records of the Queen's Regimental Museum, then at Clandon Park, Surrey
2. Parish Magazine of St Mary & St Nicholas , Leatherhead: February 1916 issue
3. WO95/2051 War Diary of 7th Bn., Queen's: PRO

Name: GRAY, REGINALD : Age - not given
Rank: Private
Regiment: The Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regt.)
Unit: 7th Bn.
Date of Death: 01/07/1916
Service No: G/6053
Grave/Memorial Reference: Pier and Face 5 D and 6 D
Cemetery: THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

He is listed on the Church Lads Brigade Tryptich in All Saints Church

He is not listed in the May 1915 issue of Leatherhead Parish Magazine among those serving.

Links
Map showing the Montauban area and Thiepval
Commonwealth War Graves Commission entry
The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment

the website editor would like to add further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, of his name on the Thiepval Memorial
and of any recollections within his family

page last updated 30 Jul 2004