Royal Air Force
Derek Johnstone and Carole Fife have provided the following:
William Gregory was born at Cambois (near Blyth) Northumberland in about 1890. His parents were Joseph Gregory, born at Netherton, Northumberland and Jane Gregory born at Wooler in the same county. William’s family lived at 32, Boat House Terrace, Cambois in 1891 when he was one year old and his father was a coal miner at this time.
By 1901, William, aged 11, was living at 77, Boat House Terrace, Cambois with his family.
The 1911 Census shows William is 21 years old, working as a hewer in the coal mines and living with his family at 24 Bridge Street, Cambois. In the house at this time are his parents and siblings Jane 18, John 16, Robert 11 and Joseph aged 7.
In 1915, William Gregory married Annie Beattie and they had a daughter Jane in 1916.
Military records show he enlisted at Blyth and was formerly 22949 (22/949) in the Northumberland Fusiliers. The UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-1919 record shows William to be in the East Yorkshire Regiment (2nd Battalion) with the service number 20736. However, the CWGC records show he was in the Royal Air Force (338050) when he died of pneumonia in 4th October 1918 aged 28. His effects went to his widow Annie Daglish Gregory and his death place is shown as Basra which is 470km from Kut Cemetery which is near Bagdad. The record from Kut Cemetery shows he was in the 2nd Garrison Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers with service number 50362 which is overwritten by RAF 338050.
William Gregory is remembered in Cambois on C6.02
