| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Corporal John Gray, aged 26, of the 2nd Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry was taken prisoner in northern France in the vicinity of Armentieres on 12 Apr 1918. A surprise German attack on allied lines (Operation Georgette), the aim of which was to push east towards the Channel coast, had forced a British withdrawal though the circumstances of John’s capture are not known. According to the Beverley Guardian of 30 Nov 1918 he was held for six weeks in the infamous Fort MacDonald at Lille (nicknamed the “Black Hole of Lille”) then put to work behind German lines on labouring duties, construction and farm work. He was nominally allocated to Limburg POW Camp. Three days after the Armistice on 14 Nov 1918 the POWs were “left to their own devices” and were able to set off for the British lines three miles away. They were cared for by local civilians. In the company of fellow captives, George Neill and William Dowson they eventually arrived at Beverley station on 23 Nov 1918.
Prior to oining the army John was employed as Manager of the Hessle Road branch of Lipton’s grocery store in Hull. He served his apprenticeship at R Care’s Grocery business in Saturday Market, Beverley. John was born in Beverley the 3 Oct 1891, the only son of John Henry and Jane Gray. John had four sisters, Muriel, Mabel, Edith and Clara who all married locally. The family lived at 21 Waltham Terrace and later at 41 Norwood.
On 27 Aug1913 John married Beatrice Richardson of Beverley at St Nicholas’ Church where her father was the verger. They initially lived with her parents at 1 Ash Tree Close, Holme Church Lane, but later lived at 221 Grovehill Road in Beverley. After the war they were to have three children: Wilfred in Aug 1919, Nancy in early 1922 and John in 1926. John returned to the grocery trade as a manager but it is not known exactly where he worked. He died on 9 Feb 1962 at Westwood Hospital. Beatrice died in Beverley in 1958.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |