Samuel Gray

[Terence Munson]

Re: First Mate Samuel Gray - I came across this news item in the Grimsby Daily Telegraph

archive film of Tuesday 23rd July 1918:

I cannot find him on CWGC site but thought I would ask if anyone else can before I go after his

death certificate, and also check if he is already in the system.

Terry

[towisuk]

Hi Terry, was Samuel Gray in the services, or was he on a "civilian" vessel ?

If he wasn't in the services would he be on the CWGC list of casualties..?

regards

Tom

[CGM]

If he was Mercantile Marine then to be commemorated his death would have to have been caused by the increased risks due to war conditions and should be confirmed by the Registrar General of Seaman and Shipping.

[John_Hartley]

Terry

Being torpedoed would be "increased risks". I can't see him on CWGC, nor do we have him in the pipeline of the In From the Cold Project.

IFCP will be happy to assist if you wish. If you get the death certificate and it adds information that we can forward to CWGC/MoD, then we'll be happy to refund you the cost.

John

[Terence Munson]

Thanks all for the replies.

John,

I have the death certificate details (it was registered at Grimsby), so I can source it locally -

then take it from there. I agree, died of wounds caused by a ship being torpedoed, should qualify

for commemoration providing the casualty is/was one of the ship's crew. As I understand it

civilians (passengers or stowaways), would not normally be eligible.

Thanks for confirming he is not already in the pipeline.

It is possible the ship he was on was RFA "Sprucol", hopefully the DC will confirm.

Terry

Edit: to clarify why I believe Samuel Gray should be commemorated.

Edited 24 May , 2013 by TcM59

[kenf48]

Neither the ship, nor Samuel are on the Mercantile Marine Memorial (given the details are supplied by CWGC for the database not too surprising).

http://www.londonremembers.com/memorials/mercantile-marine-memorial-ww1/inscriptions#?page=6

Ken

[Terence Munson]

I've received Samuel's death certificate which confirms the newspaper report, and I've found his grave location. I've also decided that I will submit his case for consideration.

Details and documents can be seen here: Link

 

Terry

Edited 28 June , 2016 by Terence Munson
To revise link

[melliget]

Nice one Terry. The cause of death on the cert is pretty conclusive.

[temptage]

Excellent find Terry. No reason why he shouldnt be added to the CWGC database at all.

I will place a wooden poppy cross on his plot in the next few days.

[temptage]

Look what went in today, along with the headstone for Walter John Thompson. Another 3 are to be put in place tomorrow according to the the CWGC workmen. Its only taken 4 years. Well done Terry.

 

[Terence Munson]

Thanks,

Good to see Samuel’s headstone at last. I made enquires about it earlier this year and was told it had recently been engraved at CWGC workshop in France and they would advise me when it had been shipped from France, but that didn’t happen!

 

I wondered if the delay was due to the extensive refurb. at Thiepval, the whole site including the headstones are pristine - Richard Munson, of the Grimsby Chums is one of the many who have no known grave, and he is commemorated there. I called to pay my respects when I was in France on the 100th anniversary of my Grandfather’s death - Robert Munson, Templeux-le-Guerard. 

 

Hopefully one of the three scheduled tomorrow will be Fred Aisthorpe’s - a temporary marker has been in place for some time.

 

Terry
 

[temptage]

Im just heading out to walk the dogs round the Cemetery so will get a photo if its done. His was one of the names mentioned for todays fitting.

 

Tony