John Murray Gray likeness

John Murray Gray cap badgePrivate John Murray Gray

7th (Service) Battalion Cameron Highlanders
Service No: S/23809

John Murray Gray grave

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Personal details

Family Information

Son of Peter and Margaret Gray of Dunoon (previously Mount Florida, Glasgow). Husband of Janet M Gray (16/04/1875 - ). John's wife received £3 1s 5d backpay and £3 War Gratuity after his death. From the 1881 Census - Address - 185 Thomson St, Dennistoun, Glasgow - Peter Gray aged 34, Margaret Gray aged 35, Margaret Murray Gray aged 9, Archibald Stirling Gray aged 7, John Murray Gray aged 5, Esther Scott Gray aged 11 months and servant Jessie Crawford aged 18. From the 1901 Census - Address - 93 Somerville Drive, Cathcart - Peter Gray aged 54, Margaret Gray aged 55, John M Gray aged 25, Esther S Gray aged 20, Jane Gray aged 19, Annie M Gray aged 17, Willamina Gray aged 15, Sydney G Gray aged 10. John's Pension was awarded to his wife Janet of 8b West George St, Coatbridge on the 31/03/1917.

Born / Resided

Glasgow / 8b West George St, Coatbridge.

Died

Killed in Action on the 12/09/1916 around Contalmaison, Somme

Enlisted

Glasgow 1915

Employed

with Mr James Miller at the Glasgow Meat Market.

Age

40

Buried / Remembered

Caterpillar Valley Cemetery (V. J. 12), Longueval, Somme, France.

Cemetery / Memorial Information

Caterpillar Valley was the name given by the army to the long valley which runs West to East, past "Caterpillar Wood", to the high ground at Guillemont. Longueval village is on the Northern crest of this valley and 500 metres West of the village, on the South side of the road to Contalmaison, is Caterpillar Valley Cemetery. Caterpillar Valley was captured during a successful night assault by the 3rd, 7th and 9th Divisions on Bazentin Ridge on 14 July 1916. It was lost in the German advance of March 1918 and recovered by the 38th (Welsh) Division on 28 August 1918, when a little cemetery was made (now Plot 1 of this cemetery) containing 25 graves of the 38th Division and the 6th Dragoon Guards. After the Armistice, this cemetery was hugely increased when the graves of more than 5,500 officers and men were brought in from other small cemeteries, and the battlefields of the Somme. CATERPILLAR VALLEY CEMETERY now contains 5,573 Commonwealth burials and commemorations of the First World War. 3,798 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 32 casualties known or believed to be buried among them, and to three buried in McCormick's Post Cemetery whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

Additional Information

The Battalion arrived at Boulogne on the 09/07/1915 and were part of the 44th Brigade, 15th (Scottish) Division. The Division were involved in the Battle of Pozieres, 23rd July - 3rd September 1916. John fell when his Battalion were being held in reserve at Contalmaison on the 12/09/1916. SEE PHOTOS x 13 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY SEPTEMBER 1916. The Division were preparing to capture Martinpuich on the 15/09/1915 which they did. The Division was allotted 4 tanks. This was part of The Battle of Flers-Courcelette (part of the Battles of the Somme) 15th - 22th September 1916 : This was a large-scale general renewal of the offensive after the weeks of attritional fighting for the third German system at Pozieres, High Wood, Delville Wood, Guillemont and Ginchy. It is historically noteworthy for being the first time that tanks were used in battle. Few in number, mechanically unreliable and as yet without proven tactics for their best use, the small numbers of tanks that actually went into action had an important positive effect. High Wood and Delville Wood were finally cleared and a deep advance was made to Flers and towards Combles. The Canadian Corps entered the Somme fighting for the first time. John was only 2 months in France when he was killed. John is also remembered on the Gartsherrie Church Roll of Honour (see photos). John was reburied in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery (see photos). See photos for John's Medal Index Card, the Dunoon War Memorial, John's name on the Dunoon War Memorial, his CWGC Grave Registration x 2, his Headstone Report, his Reburial Form, John's Pension Records x 2, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, Caterpillar Valley Cemetery and the Cameron Highlanders Cap Badge. Finally, SEE PHOTOS x 25 FOR THE 15th (SCOTTISH) DIVISION BOOK FROM 27th JUNE - SEPTEMBER 1916, the 15th (Scottish) Division Order of Battle x 13 (the Division he was with when he died ), Newspaper clippings x 5 (Coatbridge Express x 2, Coatbridge Leader x 1 and Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser x 2), another photo of John's grave, Caterpillar Valley Cemetery taken by myself in July 2023 and a Poppy Cross placed by myself at John's grave in July 2023 (see main grave photo).

Photos
John Murray Gray Medal Index CardJohn Murray Gray remembered at homeJohn Murray Gray remembered at homeJohn Murray Gray remembered at homeJohn Murray Gray remembered at homeJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photoJohn Murray Gray additional photo

War Diaries

The battalion War Diary is available on the National Archives website.

Creative Commons License

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