10th Battalion, Canadian Infantry
Lionel Victor (Vic) Gray was born in 1894, the son of Mrs Alexandra Gray of 29 Lansdown, Stroud. He emigrated to Canada in 1912 and when the war was declared volunteered at once, arriving in England with the first contingent of Canadian troops. After training he and his unit went to France on 1 April 1915 and he was soon wounded in action, although not seriously.
At Christmas 1915, following a period of leave, he went back to join his unit and took part in the Battle of Mount Sorrel, near Ypres, between 2 – 13 June 1916.
At seven minutes past 1pm on 2 June, after a vicious artillery bombardment which lasted two
hours, German assault troops, who had been secreted in underground bunkers opposite the
Canadian Corps left their trenches and overwhelmed the defenders before they had chance to organise themselves. There had been no prior indication of the German intentions. Despite their initial victory, the lost trenches were re-taken from the Germans by the Canadians ten days later. Both sides lost over 5,000 killed, missing or wounded in this action.
Private Gray was killed on the second day of this engagement and, having no known grave, is
commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial. He is also commemorated on the St Paul’s Church
Memorial (as V Gray) but his connection with Cheltenham is unknown.
His brothers Alec, who served with the Gloucesters and the RAMC, and Douglas, 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, were both wounded during the war.