Pte. Victor John Gray

Sophie-Marie Young

Pte. Victor John Gray

Sophie-Marie Young

Born 2 January 1893 Service No 6737 Enlistment Date 15 July 1916 22nd Reinforcements 12th Battalion Served in France 1916-1917 Died from Wounds 10 April 1917 Buried at Bapaume Australian Cemetery Life in Ferntree

Victor John Gray was born 2 January 1893. He was the eldest child of John and Louisa Gray’s 15 children. Two of Victor’s younger brothers (Freddie and Ronald) died early. The family were united in their grief and the older children shared a strong bond. Victor, Gladys and Charlie were very close.

The youngest child, Athol, was born just before Victor and Charlie went to Claremont Camp for training. Victor grew up in their family home in Fern Tree and attended Ferntree State School. It must have given Victor a good education as the letters he sent home later are thoughtful and well Portrait of Victor, his mother Louisa written. and her parents, Sarah and Charles Gadd

John and Louisa Gray in 1909 with children Victor, Gladys, Charles, George, Hannah, Henry, Phyllis, Arthur and Ronald (one son Freddie died in 1903 and the baby in this photo (Ronald) died soon after the picture was taken. Clyde, Stanley, Harold, Leslie and Athol were born later. Athol was born the year Victor enlisted with the AIF.

Working Life

After finishing school, Victor worked on his family’s fruit farm and on the roads during the off-season. Victor’s father and Charlie also worked as labourers on the road to bring in extra income for the family. The road was mostly dirt and only cut to follow the contours. Each year gangs worked on the road to improve safety and drainage.

Victor owned a motorcycle which he loved and used to ride it up and down the Huon road to work.

Victor’s Motor Vehicle

Licence

Huon Road near Fern Tree Circa 1914

Victor the Adventurer

Victor was very close with his best mate Albert ‘Jack’ John

Williams – it can be guessed that growing up these two were as thick as thieves, along with Victor’s sister Gladys and younger brother Charles. The two young men travelled to New Zealand in search of work and adventure. Victor and Jack got a job working in a freezer works in Ngahauranga Station, 1882 Ngahauranga (now Ngauranga) near Wellington. Victor and Jack stayed with Mrs Peterson who writes to Louisa with news of the

Boys. Victor and Jack spent a lot of their spare time visiting New Zealand’s scenic and tourist places. Victor writes home to his family every week. Jack seems to spend a lot of his time writing to Victor’s sister Gladys.

Ngahauranga Gorge Road January

22nd, 1912

Bluff, South Island New Zealand circa 1915 War Begins; Conscription in New Zealand

At the outbreak of War, New Zealand introduced Conscription. Victor was unluckily chosen in the ballot and conscripted into the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces. Victor turned up to do his duty and asked if he could return home and enlist with his mates in the the Australian Forces: Victor had to wait awhile to hear if his request was granted, and if he would be given a passport to return back to Tasmania. The New Zealand Army released him on the proviso that he show up at Claremont and enlist with the AIF.

“The above-named reservist who was drawn from the 9th ballot for service with the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces is reported to this office to have left the Dominion for Australia on the 6 June 1916, his reason for leaving being – to enlist in the Australian Forces. Before leaving the Dominion he made a Statutory Declaration in that he would report himself on arrival at Tasmania to the military authorities for the purpose of offering himself for

active service.”

Jack was not conscripted but he chose to head back to Tasmania and enlist with Victor.

- Letter from the ‘Director of Personal Services, Dominion of New Zealand: Department of Defence’ to ‘the Officer in charge of Base records, AIF’ seeking conformation of Victor’s compliance with his

Declaration, 20 March 1918

Enlistment and Claremont Camp, Tasmania

Victor and Jack enlisted together on 15 July 1916, at Claremont, upon their return to Tasmania just like

Victor had promised he would. They nd enlisted as part of the 22 reinforcement of the 12th battalion; Victor’s service number was 6737. Victor wrote on his enlistment form that he was 23 years and 5 months 1 old, 5ft 7 /4 inches (170.8cm) tall, and had a medium complexion, brown hair and grey eyes. Victor was not married so he listed his parents as his next of kin, and his occupation as labourer. Victor’s younger brother, Charles, enlisted at Claremont Camp two days later. Victor’s youngest brother Athol was born in September whilst Victor was at Claremont training; Victor met his baby brother once before heading off to War.

On 1 September, half way through their training, Jack was discharged as medically unfit with varicose veins. Enlistment Record for PrivateVictor John Gray Service No. 6737, 12th Battalion, 22

Victor’s dog tag was returned to his Reinforcements family when he died in 1917

Drill at Claremont Camp.

Bayonet Drill at Claremont Camp

Proud Portrait before Embarkation

Victor and his friends had this portrait taken early in their training at Claremont as Jack is still with them. Victor sent his family a portrait of himself and Jack and some other members of the

12th. They were very proud of themselves, they all looked so smart in their newly issued uniforms. Not all of the Soldiers can be identified, but sadly of the four that can, three did not make it back home.

Group photo of 12th Battalion soldiers, July 1916 (photo courtesy of Danielle Gray) Standing far right: Private Clarence Andrews (6708) of George Town, Tasmania (KIA 8 April 1917) Seated far right: Private Albert 'Jack' John

Williams (3264) of Neika, Tasmania (discharged medically unfit), Seated middle: Private Robert Wilfroy Riggs (6573) of Burnie (KIA May 1917), Seated far left: Private Victor John Gray (6737) of Fern Tree, Tasmania (Died of Wounds 10 April 1917)

Victor and the other members of the 12th Battalion wore this colour patch on the shoulder of their uniform

Embarkation and arrival in England

On the 30 September, Victor and Charles embarked with the 22nd Reinforcements of the 12th Battalion from

Melbourne on the HMAT A56 Palermo. The ship made several stops, one in Cape Town where Victor sent his second lot of letters home. The Palermo arrived in Devonport, England on 21 November. Victor and rd Charles marched into the 3 Studio Portrait taken in Melbourne of (right to left) training Battalion on Charles William Gray, Victor John Gray, Charles 22 November, 1916. Woolford and another two mates prior to their

departure overseas.

HMAT A56 Palermo. Victor spent eight happy weeks with his brother and friends travelling to England. The Palermo weighed 7,600 tons with an average cruise speed of 26 kmph. It was owned by P & O, London, and leased by the Commonwealth until 10 January 1917

Photo taken from the port, showing view of Cape Town, Africa c

1914 Perham Downs Training Camp

Victor and Charles arrived at Perham Downs Camp, Salisbury Plains on 2 December 1916. The winter of 1916-1917 was horrendous; in a letter home to his Father, Victor complained that he ‘would sooner be on the top of Mt Wellington in my

shirt on the coldest day in winter’/‘Perham Downs was the last place God made and forgot to finish, the sun never shines here and the frosts are awful’. Victor spent his free time inside at the YMCA, talking, writing letters or watching boxing

matches. He was lucky enough to see Hughie Mehegan the Australian Light-Weight Boxing Champion go a few rounds.

Perham Downs in Winter ‘Hughie’ Mehegan, Australian Light-Weight Boxing Excerpts from Victor’s letters to Champion Service number 10971, 22nd home Australian Army Service Corps

Company.

‘A little piece of poetry of Perham Downs Camps; The Opinions

of an Australian Soldier’

A Bonzer Time at Lockerley Hall

On 7 December 1916, Victor took leave and went to stay in Lockerley Hall, a mansion grander than anything Victor had seen in Tasmania. Victor had been invited to spend his 4 days leave at the Hall by a ‘cobber’ he had met during training. Victor had a splendid time, the Aylwards took him for drives to nearby towns and took him hunting for game. Victor wrote, ‘the night before last we went to Lady Aylward’s place “The Elms” for dinner & I can tell you I filt out of place to, with the butlers and servants waiting on you & about a dozen different sorts of knifes & forks to eat with & we had wine and ale so you can guess we had a good time…”. Victor wrote home that he was hoping not to be shipped out before Christmas as The Aylwards had invited him to come back and stay with them during Christmas.

The Lodges, Lockerley Hall. The front of a Postcard Victor sent home after his visit.

Lockerley Hall c 1914 Lark Hill Camp & Leaving England

Victor didn’t get to visit the Aylwards for Christmas. Four days after he returned to Lark Hill Camp he departed Folkestone. He left England on 17 December on board the SS Princess Clementine headed for Etaples. Charles stayed on in England because of his horrendous dental hygiene, the brothers don’t see each other again until March 1917.

Lark Hill Camp, Salisbury Plains. The winter of 1916-17 was brutally cold. Many

Australians died in the camps from illnesses and the harsh, cold conditions. Lark Hill Camp Y.M.C.A Hut No.1 Interior

SS Princess Clementine

Etaples, France

The next day, Victor marched into Etaples, France with the 1st ADBD. Discipline was very hard during training in the ‘bull-ring’ at Etaples, Victor spent two months in training before heading off to the front.

Victor’s route from Folkestone to Etaples, France. Inset shows the small area of France where Victor served on the front line in WW1.

Postcard Vue sur le Port prise du Pont, Etaples France

Training at 1 ADBD, Etaples, France 1917 The training at Etaples was hard, it was designed to ready the soldiers for going into trench warfare. Training at Etaples had to be carried out to the satisfaction of Sir Henry Sclater (G.O.C.-in- Chief) , Southern Command England (1916-19) and his staff, the principle being that no troops , British or dominion should be sent to France until passed as sufficiently trained according to the standards laid down by the War Office. The Australian training battalions were under the command of an Australian. The principle of Australian soldiers being trained by Australian officers was adhered to, whenever possible.

Map of Training Camp, at Etaples Rifle training at Etaples

In the Trenches, France

Victor only spends a short time in active service at the front. He was taken on th strength by the 12th Battalion on 21 February 1917. At this time the 11 and 12th Battalions advance on the villages of Le Barque and Ligny-Thilloy as the Germans retreat back towards the Hindenburg line.

Field Map showing the positions of D Feb 27th: 0600; ‘D’ Company which th Coy and the rest of the 12 Battalion includes Victor is to move on the right just after Victor was taken on strength. (east) of Red Cut Road, clear Ligny. . D Manoeuvres by D Coy are in Red. Company moved up on eastern side of village and systematically cleaned it up

Feb 25th : Orders were received to and established a post at Quarry at relieve the10th Battalion. D Company N.1.C.6.4. thus surrounding both Le th Barque and Ligny. relieved 10 Battalion men that were in Wheat Trench, this took 9 hours as The operation was successfully carried they came under heavy fire and out at dawn. It was found that the sustained some casualties Germans had evacuated Malt Trench from Battery Copse to Albert-Bapaume Feb 26th: At 2130 the 12th Battalion Road. The chief opposition was from an receives orders to attack Ligny and Le enemy strong post at Junction of Misty Barque at dawn on 27th. Way and Warlencourt Road.

Feb 27th: Total casualties of the 12th Btn whilst in line 8 Officers and 66 Other ranks. Feb 28th 1917. A view of the frontline trenches in the Le Barque area. Australian Pioneers making a duckboard bridge across the trenches of the 'Maze'. In the foreground you can see how deep the water is and how muddy the ground was in the region where iVctor was fighting.

The Village of Ligny-Thilloy as Victor would have seen it in 1917. The Germans destroyed each town as they withdrew to remove any shelter for the advancing allied troops.

A Month of Training

th th th Feb 27 2340; the 12 were relieved by the 4 Battalion. The 12th then moved back to No. 3 Camp at Bazentin-Le-Petit, well behind the front line.

Bazentin-le-Petit in September 1917, When Victor was there it was just coming into spring and the ground would have been very wet and muddy. All the trees are stripped from the shelling.

The Village of Bazentin-le-Petit as Victor saw it in March 1917

In March, the 12th Battalion got some respite and underwent more intensive training at Denancourt and Baizieux.

1 March; Battalion moved from Bazentin-Le-Petit to Dernancourt.

2 March; Training Commenced.

23 March; the 12th Battalion moved from Dernancourt to Baizieux.

The War Diary of the 12th Battalion reports, “The whole of the month has been spent in training; the first half in attacking under barrage fire and the second half in open warfare and tactical schemes. The results obtained have been very satisfactory and most encouraging. The health of the battalion has been good and morale excellent. The reinforcements obtained have been of good physique, intelligent and well trained. Strength 39 Officers and 958 other ranks”.

31 March; Divisional Sports Afternoon.

1 April; Baizieux. Church Parade at which Divisional Commanders Attended.

Lt Roper and Lt Uren arrived with 25 reinforcements

2 April; Review of 3rd Brigade by Major-General Walker. Lecture on ‘Tanks’ to all officers by Col. Blaney.

3 April; 12th Receives orders to march back to front line near Bapaume.

Back to the Front

4 April; 12th Battalion left Baizieux at 0900 and marched to Montauban

5 April; Battalion left Montauban at 0918 marched to Fremicourt. 6 April; Fremicourt, France, 1917. Houses damaged by enemy bombardment lining a road in the town which is located northeast of Bapaume. The road has been cleared of debris and rubble. The 12th Battalion relieves the 29th Battalion in the front line. Victor in D Company along with A and C Companies are in the front line. A Company is holding the village and main road. C Company is clearing the wood. D Company moving forward on the left clearing the Village. B Company is in support.

th Fremicourt, 1917; The village of Fremicourt in ruins. Victor and the 12 Battalion cleared the town and main road of German soldiers.

th Over the Easter weekend the 12 Battalion are ordered to advance along the Bapaume-Cambrai Road past the Chateau at Louverval and towards the small village of Boursies.

Chateau at Louverval before WW1.

The ruins of a Chateau Louverval near Boursies . In the early spring of 1917 the Germans withdrew from the line they had held during the winter of 1916-1917 to the Hindenburg Line, leaving strong covering forces. The Australians captured Boursies, along with several other outpost villages, early in April 1917.

12th Battalion attack on Boursies

Report from the War Diary of the 12th Battalion on operations at Boursies 7th-11th April.

th 7 April; D Company is relieved by the 10 Battalion and subsequently relieves A Company which was assembled behind the Louverval Rd. A Company is to organise for an attack on windmill. C Company is also relieved by 10th Battalion.

8 April; 0300 Easter Sunday; A platoon of B Company under Lieutenant Newitt moved to right of main road and they opened fire then took cover.

A Company under Captain J.E.Newlands moved in file behind the bank and attacked the windmill in two waves, on a 4 platoon frontage. A bomb team moved up the main road on right and bombed the mill. Good progress was made across the open (a distance of 300 yds) before a heavy machine gun fire was opened. Killing Lieutenant Sherwin, wounding Lieutenant Kelly and inflicting heavy casualties.

The 12th pushed the attack home, the enemy abandoned their position, taking away the machine guns. Two Bosche in bomb posts in advance were bayonetted.

Simultaneously with above C Company attacked down the rally from J4. First wave 2 Platoons. Lieutenant Radford on right. Lieutenant Gould on left. Objective trenches fromJ29C47 to JB central and JC central. The attack was held up by heavy machine gunfire from front and left flank on ridge D28 &29.

1400 hrs A Company at the mill were heavily shelled all day. About 1400 under the cover of a blizzard a party rushed the mill from the main road but were driven off through the prompt action of Sergeant Stott who shot 4 men in succession.

2200 hrs An intense bombardment was made with Pineapple trench mortar bombs and smoke bombs and a strong counter attack from trenches at J5 central. Bombs were thrown from the road leading from Boursies and the 2 posts nearest the road fell back where they were reorganised by Sergeant Whittle.

Captain Newland called for a platoon of D Company which came up under Lieutenant Harrison and a counter attack drove the Huns back.

Simultaneously on the right of the main road, the platoon of B Company under

Lieutenant Newitt was attacked near the hedge. Private Butler opened fire with a Lewis Machine Gun killing 10 Huns and breaking up the attack. Lieutenant Newitt counter attacked and captured a machine gun. He was subsequently reinforced by a platoon of D Company under Lieutenant Roper.

9 April; 0400 Easter Monday; Portions of B, C and D Companies and 2 platoons of the 11th Battalion attacked the Cemetery on the left. D Company under the command of Lieutenant Uren are in the first wave. There is heavy machine Gun Fire from the German trenches and Victor receives a shot to the head.

Trench Map of Boursies showing where Victor fought with D Coy. He was shot on in the head as D Coy moved towards the Cemetery.

9 April; Victor is taken to the 3rd Casualty Clearing station in Bapaume. He never regains consciousness and dies on 10 April 1917 - less than two months after reaching the front.

Victor’s memorial is at Bapaume Cemetery.

Victor did reunite with his Brother Charlie who arrives at the front in March.

Victor’s brother Charlie survived Victor for just another 5 days.

He was killed in action at Lagincourt on the 15 April.

His body was never recovered and his memorial is at Villers Bretonneux.

Sad News Reaches Home

Red Cross notification to John Gray of Victors death.

Bapaume Cemetery

Excerpt of the Graves Registration Report Form showing

Victor’s details

Bapaume Australian Cemetery was begun in March 1917, by the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station and used until the following June. In 1918, 23 German graves were added to row C

Victor is buried in Bapaume Cemetery

Imperial War Graves Commision Entry showing the location of Victor’s headstone inBapaume Cemetery

Epitaph for Victor’s headstone chosen by his family

Memorials in Hobart

With so many Hobart Families devastated by the war a living memorial up on the domain was proposed. Victor and Charlie were given adjacent trees at the Hobart Soldiers Memorial Avenue. Louisa would take the family there each ANZAC Day and picnic between the two trees.

Victor and Charlie are also commemorated on the Roll of Honour for the 1Great War in All Saints Church, South Hobart.

Family Memorials

Victor’s mother Louisa was particularly saddened by the loss of her two oldest sons. She had a large portrait of both of the boys that hung in the kitchen of her home. When John built them a new house in Grays Road the portraits hung there until the house was sold outside of the family in 2008. The new house was named CharlVic Cottage. Louisa planted two cypress trees in the back-garden. These trees were within view of the kitchen window, so she would see them every day when in the kitchen preparing meals for her big family.

Gladys and Jack named their first child a daughter, Victoria Charlotta in memory of Victor and Charles. Gladys then named her boy Victor. Harry Gray also named his first son Victor.

Recently one of Victor and Charlie’s great nieces, Danielle (George’s granddaughter) has researched Victor and Charlie’s lives and written a book called ‘Ferntree to the Front’. Danielle was so proud of her great-uncles she changed her surname back to Gray.

Victor and Charlie were commemorated by their family. The family named their new house CharlVic Cottage and two cypress trees were planted in the back

garden in their honour.