In Etaples Military Cemeteryis the Commonwealth War Grave of 732 Lance Sergeant John Wilson Gray, D.C.M., serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps, who died 12/01/1916.
He was the husband of Margaret Gray, of 31, Percy Avenue, Cullercoats, Northumberland. He was a native of Morpeth, Northumberland.
Colin McMillan has provided the following; :
In 1901 John Wilson Gray was the head of the household at 9 Auburn Place, Morpeth. He was born in Tweedmouth and at the time of the census was 26 and worked as a railway clerk. His wife was 22 year old Morpeth-born Margaret Gray and they had a 9 month old son, Franklin Matthew Gray, also born in Morpeth.
By 1911 and aged 36, John had moved to 53 Eskdale Terrace, Whitley Bay and was still working as a railway clerk. The census of that year tragically records that he and his wife had had 4 children but only two survived. Franklin Matthew Gray and another child born since 1901 had died but Elsie Gray (7) and John Gray (5) had joined the family, both being born in Morpeth. John Wilson Gray and family must have moved from Morpeth some time after the birth of their youngest child, between about 1906 and 1911.
The Shields Daily News 24/01/1916 reports:
Whitley Bay Sergeant Dies of Wounds.
Sergeant J. W. Gray, who died of his wounds in the Canadian Hospital at Etaples on the 12th inst., was a member of the R.A.M.C. attached to the 5th Northumberland Fusiliers going away nearly a year ago on active service, and had gained the DCM for services in the field. He was a native of Morpeth but had lived in Whitley for several years, being employed in the goods department of the N.E.R. at the Forth and Newcastle Quayside. He was a Territorial, and an earnest member of St. John Ambulance Association, conducting classes for years. An active supporter of the Friendly Society cause, he officiated as secretary of the National Independent Order of Oddfellows for Newcastle. He leaves a widow and two children. Sergeant Gray was wounded in the lower part of his chest on December 31st, 1915 whilst on active service. For nearly a fortnight he appeared to progress towards recovery, and on January 11th, in a cheerful letter home in Cullercoats, Northumberland, expressed the expectation of being moved to Base, and thence to England in a few days. Fate, alas, willed otherwise, for news was received on January 13th that he had died of his wounds in the 1st Canadian Hospital, Etaples on January 12th, 1916.
(N.B. the above Shields Daily News report was taken from The Response, September 2014).
When the CWGC were putting their records together in the 1920s John Wilson Gray’s widow, Margaret Gray was living at 31 Percy Avenue, Cullercoats.
Morpeth Herald 28/01/1916 carries an obituary:
A NATIVE OF MORPETH
In The Times Supplement to the London Gazette for January 14th, 1916, appears the name of J.W. Gray as one who had gained the D.C.M. for services in the field, whilst a few days previous word had been received that he had been wounded.
Up to the 13th inst., assurances were received that he was recovering, and in a cheerful letter from himself on the 11th he said he was doing well and hoped to be removed to the base, and thence to England in a few days.
News from the War Office being received on the 13th that he died of his wounds in the 1st Canadian Hospital, Etaples, on the 12th inst., further confirmation came to hand on Tuesday of this week.
Sergeant J.W. Gray was a native of Morpeth, but had lived at Whitley Bay for several years, being employed as clerk in the goods department of the N.E.R. at the Forth and Newcastle Quayside prior to the outbreak of war.
He was a member of the Territorials, and an earnest member of the St John Ambulance Association, conducting classes for years.
He was a member of the R.A.M.C. attached to the 5th N.F., with the rank of sergeant, going away nearly a year ago into active service.
From that date, he had had a very strenuous time, and by his heroic work was recommended for the D.C.M.
For years Sergeant Gray had been actively associated with the Friendly Society movement, acting local secretary to the National Independent Order of Oddfellows for Newcastle.
As a citizen, he was of a quiet and unassuming nature, but was held in very great esteem by his employers, his colleagues, and all who were privileged to know him. And his indomitable courage on the field of battle gained for him many glowing tributes of affection and gratitude from those who had the best chances of seeing him.
It may truly be said that he gave his life ungrudgingly in this great world struggle, and Whitley Bay loses an heroic citizen.
He leaves a widow and two children to mourn his loss.
John Wilson Gray is remembered at Gateshead on G39.030, at Whitley Bay on W84.01 as J.W. Grey, N.F., in Morpeth on M17.01 and M17.29 and on the North Eastern Railway War Memorial (York).
