Frederick W Bray

In July 1915, Chailey Parish Magazine notes that Frederick Bray is serving his King and Country, updating that information in October 1915 to record that he is a private serving with the Army Ordnance Corps in England. In January 1916 the parish magazine notes that, still in England, he has been appointed lance-corporal and then, in July 1916, that he is serving overseas in France.

In February 1917, according to the parish magazine, Lance-Corporal F Bray is with the Leicestershire Regiment and in July 1917 he is reported as being a prisoner. The final entry in July 1919 records: Bray, Lance-Corporal F, Leicester Regiment. Prisoner.

At the time the 1901 census was taken, Frederick William Bray was living with his family at Dairy Cottage Number 1 in Chailey Village. He was the seven year old only son of Frederick George Bray (aged 33 and working as foreman in a dairy) and Ann Bray (aged 32 and recorded incorrectly as Annie on the 1901 census). Also at this address at the time the census was taken, was 16 year old Frederick Loney, a London-born Railway booking clerk who was boarding there, and four year old Daisy Miller who was born at Fletching and is recorded as a visitor.

After leaving school at 14, Frederick worked for a short time as a ‘learner’ at Sheffield Park station. It was here that he met his future wife, Ethel Ruth Page, the niece of the stationmaster who had come down from London during her school holidays.

In 1913 he joined Portsmouth Borough Police and despite being in a reserved occupation, enlisted in 1915. He joined the Army Ordnance Corps and was given the number 07265. In the photograph below which dates to early 1916 and was taken at Woolwich, lance-corporal Bray sits on the far left.

He embarked for France later that year and shortly afterwards was transferred to the Leicestershire Regiment where he was given the number 36366.

Frederick fought on the Western Front and was captured on 1st July 1916 during the first hours of the Battle of the Somme. Rendered unconscious by a grazing wound across his neck, he regained consciousness in a German field dressing station and was eventually sent to a PoW camp near Solignen in north west Germany where he was put to work in a brickworks. He made several escapes and was ultimately successful in reaching British lines in Belgium on his third attempt.

After demobilisation he returned to the police service and married in 1919, producing five children and 23 grandchildren. He later established a private detective agency which is still in business today.

The photographs on this page are reproduced with the permission of Frederick Bray's grandson, Dr Lawrence Hawkins. The photograph at the top of the page depicts Frederick, far right, and his wife, taken on their honeymoon outside Dairy Cottages, Chailey in 1919. Frederick's parents stand with the newly married couple.

Frederick Bray died in 1980 after a short illness.

Sources & Acknowledgements

The National Archives: Medal Index Card
The 1901 Census of England & Wales
Chailey Parish Magazine
I am very grateful to Frederick Bray’s son for providing me with additional information about his father, and to his grandson, Dr Lawrence Hawkins, for supplying additional details and for sending me some splendid photographs of his grandfather which are reproduced on this website.

If you can add any further information about Frederick William Bray, please contact me.

Chailey 1914-1918