essex66 Posted 29 March Share Posted 29 March I'm researching a war memorial in Hackney, London. One of the men is listed as F. GRAY and the memorial gives his regiment as Fijian Infantry Regiment. I am struggling to identify him without more information. I have read with interest other posts on this site re Fijian Labour Corps and am wondering if anyone can help? Many thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrenchrat22 Posted 29 March Share Posted 29 March (edited) 1 hour ago, essex66 said: I'm researching a war memorial in Hackney, London. One of the men is listed as F. GRAY and the memorial gives his regiment as Fijian Infantry Regiment. I am struggling to identify him without more information. I have read with interest other posts on this site re Fijian Labour Corps and am wondering if anyone can help? Many thanks Looking at the Hackney Wick it reads F. GRAY F. INFAN there has also been a roots chat about him Edited 29 March by thetrenchrat22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 29 March Share Posted 29 March From my searches -- in WW1 there was the Fijian Labour Corps - according to the excellent book 'No Labour, No Battle' (Starling and Lee) 'in January 1915 the first contingent of some 60 white men was sent 'home' (Britain) where most of them were immediately attached to the King's Royal Rifles. By the end of the war some 600 white Fijians had answered the call to arms' -- I can not find any sign of a Fijian Infantry Regiment in WW1 In WW2, there was a Fijian Infantry Regiment -- Wikipedia has '1st Battalion, Fiji Infantry Regiment: The 1st Battalion was originally raised in response to the request by the US Forces deployed in the Pacific theatre during the Second World War for operations in the Solomon Islands. The Battalion left Fiji in 1943 and saw action in Guadalcanal, Kolombangara, Bougainville and other parts of the Solomons. The Battalion spent 17 months overseas before returning to Fiji in 1944'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essex66 Posted 29 March Author Share Posted 29 March Thank you for this information. I will see if I can get the book from the library etc. If I could find his first name or approx age it would help me identify him in the census. 9 minutes ago, thetrenchrat22 said: Looking at the Hackney Wick it reads F. GRAY F. INFAN there has also been a roots chat about him thank you. I'll look on Rootschat too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddell Posted 29 March Share Posted 29 March (edited) Contact forum member Christine Liava. She researches Fiji and the Great War. Scott Edited 29 March by Waddell Added more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianC Posted 29 March Share Posted 29 March Have a look at this website- my.christchurchcitylibraries.com - search Fiji. Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrenchrat22 Posted 30 March Share Posted 30 March 19 hours ago, essex66 said: I'm researching a war memorial in Hackney, London. One of the men is listed as F. GRAY and the memorial gives his regiment as Fijian Infantry Regiment. I am struggling to identify him without more information. I have read with interest other posts on this site re Fijian Labour Corps and am wondering if anyone can help? Many thanks What makes it, you think it’s Fijian Regiment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essex66 Posted 30 March Author Share Posted 30 March I've not actually seen the memorial but was given the names shown by Hackney Archives and its shows Fiji Infantry as his regiment; it's been spot on with all the other entries. 13 hours ago, AdrianC said: Have a look at this website- my.christchurchcitylibraries.com - search Fiji. Adrian Thanks Adrian. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 30 March Share Posted 30 March (edited) 5 hours ago, essex66 said: I've not actually seen the memorial but was given the names shown by Hackney Archives and its shows Fiji Infantry as his regiment; it's been spot on with all the other entries. Thanks Adrian. There was no Fijian infantry regiment until WW2. As mentioned above, just a Labour unit during WW1, and with a fine reputation in that role. Edited 30 March by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waddell Posted 31 March Share Posted 31 March There were contingents of Fijians that served in the KRRC. See here- https://www.thejetnewspaper.com/fiji-contingent-honored-at-commemorative-service/ There have been threads about these men on the forum. Scott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 31 March Share Posted 31 March (edited) 30 minutes ago, Waddell said: There were contingents of Fijians that served in the KRRC. See here- https://www.thejetnewspaper.com/fiji-contingent-honored-at-commemorative-service/ There have been threads about these men on the forum. Scott Yes I think that was mentioned earlier by Allan1892 if you read the thread. They were white Fijians and I got the impression that the OP essex66 was referring to indigenous Fijian South Sea islanders and so answered on that basis. Perhaps I got that wrong and @essex66can confirm exactly what he / she is seeking over and above what’s already been said? Edited 31 March by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 31 March Share Posted 31 March Private Frederick Grey SERN 6185 23rd battalion Australian imperial force Frederick Gray was born in Rewa.fiji about 1893. he was a locomotive driver. The brother of Sarah Grey. Rewa he was an apprentice of the Vancouver Fiji sugar company He enlisted in Liverpool. New South Wales on 18 May 1916, aged 23, his next of kin being his wife Gertie Grey of Cootramundra. New South Wales. he embarked per argyllshire on 30 October 1916. and served in France. he was wounded in action on 3rd May 1917. with gunshot wounds in the leg and arm. he returned to Australia on 11 December 1918 per Saxon. He was discharged on 12 March 1919. he was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal he was listed in the Fiji Times Roll of Honour ... Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 31 March Share Posted 31 March Mistake in my copying Line 4 Gray should be Grey .... Christine Liava'a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FROGSMILE Posted 31 March Share Posted 31 March (edited) 4 hours ago, christine liava'a said: Mistake in my copying Line 4 Gray should be Grey .... Christine Liava'a Thank you Christine. https://www.facebook.com/story.php/?id=100070778205717&story_fbid=204097109610441 Edited 31 March by FROGSMILE Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 31 March Share Posted 31 March On 29/03/2024 at 17:38, thetrenchrat22 said: Looking at the Hackney Wick it reads F. GRAY F. INFAN there has also been a roots chat about him https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/166548?search=search_map%3Fsearch_value%3Dhackney%2520wick%26memorial_name%3D I did not find the rootschat thread, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 31 March Share Posted 31 March On 29/03/2024 at 16:34, essex66 said: I'm researching a war memorial in Hackney, London. One of the men is listed as F. GRAY and the memorial gives his regiment as Fijian Infantry Regiment. What is the source of the above information? That I can tell, the memorial states F. GRAY F. INFAN 22 hours ago, essex66 said: I've not actually seen the memorial but was given the names shown by Hackney Archives and its shows Fiji Infantry as his regiment; it's been spot on with all the other entries. Presumably, Hackney Archives have a list of men, and a non-abbreviated unit name? I take it they have no further information on these men, else they would have sent it to you? The men of the Bethnal Green War Memorial have a next of kin address, which is useful for further genealogical research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 31 March Share Posted 31 March 14 minutes ago, Keith_history_buff said: I did not find the rootschat thread, though. Link below should take you to it. WW1 Fiji Infantry Regiment (rootschat.com) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 31 March Share Posted 31 March I do not think that Frederick Grey from fiji and Australia is the one buried in England . My Frederick returned to Australia alive in 1919 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 31 March Share Posted 31 March Thanks. The rootschat thread mentions Fréderic Lym GRAY, a Corporal in the Foreign Legion, a Belgian. James French Gray, Sapper, Died 18 September 1920, Age 20 years old Royal Corps of Signals, attd. 2nd Wireless Sect. Son of Daniel and Lizzie Gray, of 31, Trego Rd., Hackney Wick, London. There's only one person with the surname Gray on the war memorial. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essex66 Posted 31 March Author Share Posted 31 March 13 hours ago, christine liava'a said: Mistake in my copying Line 4 Gray should be Grey .... Christine Liava'a Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essex66 Posted 31 March Author Share Posted 31 March Thank you to everyone who has replied. I'm overwhelmed with the responses. I'm not quite sure where to go from here, but I think the Fréderic Lym GRAY mentioned sounds a good candidate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 31 March Share Posted 31 March I hold the opinion that James French Gray, a resident of Hackney Wick, is a stronger contender to be the person on the war memorial situated in Victoria Park, a short distance from Trego Road.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 31 March Share Posted 31 March You need to actually see the grave. Or get a photo of it. showing the inscription and any other details about the actual memorial itself Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
essex66 Posted 2 April Author Share Posted 2 April On 31/03/2024 at 22:36, Keith_history_buff said: I hold the opinion that James French Gray, a resident of Hackney Wick, is a stronger contender to be the person on the war memorial situated in Victoria Park, a short distance from Trego Road.. Yes, it could be either. I'll do some more digging and see if anything else comes to light. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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