GRAY, Ernest Gareth
| Service Number: | 2655 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 49th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Hughenden, Queensland, Australia, date not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Ravenshoe, Tablelands, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Oxley State School, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Selector |
| Died: | Bronchial Pneumonia, United Kingdom, 2 January 1917, age not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Kensal Green (All Souls) Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Herberton War Memorial, Murgon Memorial Wall, Murgon RSL Honour Board, Murgon War Memorial, Padre White Memorial Chapel, Ravenshoe War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Oct 1916: | Involvement Private, 2655, 49th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct 1916: | Embarked Private, 2655, 49th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ceramic, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Ian Lang
#2655 GRAY Ernest Gareth 49th Battalion
Ernest Gray was the much loved son of William and Mary Gray. He was born in Hughenden but by the time he was old enough to attend school the family was living in Oxley in Brisbane. After leaving school, Ernie travelled widely working at various bush occupations such as selector, surveyor’s assistant, farming, mining and general labouring.
When Ernie presented himself for initial enlistment in Ravenshoe, Nth Queensland, on 18th April 1916, he was 23 years old. He named his father, William Gray of Murgon as his next of kin. Ravenshoe did not have the facilities to process an enlistment so a month after signing up in Ravenshoe, Ernie travelled down to Cairns where he completed his enlistment on 20th May. Armed with a travel warrant for a berth on a coastal steamer, Ernie sailed for Brisbane where he was taken on strength in the 11th Depot Battalion at Enoggera before being allocated as part of the 6th reinforcements of the 49th Battalion.
In late September, Ernie was granted a period of home leave and he probably took the opportunity to visit his parents at Murgon. At the same time, he visited the Public Curator’s office to make out a will.
On 7th October, having travelled by train to Sydney, the reinforcements boarded the “Ceramic”. The embarkation roll shows that Ernest Gray had named his father, William of “Wanjillji” Murgon as his next of kin. He allocated 3/6d from his daily pay to a bank account. Upon arrival at Plymouth in England on 21stNovember the reinforcements travelled by train to the 13th brigade Training Depot at Sutton Veney near Salisbury.
Soon after arriving in England, on 16th December, Ernie was admitted to the Edwell Street Military Hospital in London. His illness was diagnosed as bronchial pneumonia. Just two weeks after being admitted to hospital, Ernie died on 2nd January 1917.
Ernest Gray was buried with full military honours at Kensal Green Cemetery in West London. The hospital arranged for a gun carriage to convey the coffin to the cemetery as well as burial and firing parties. The resident presbyterian chaplain presided at the service. The ward sister at Edwell Street wrote to Ernie’s mother conveying some details about her son’s illness.
Ernie, was a self sufficient young man with a load of experience in looking after himself and had included in his kit before leaving Australia a range of personal items which included cutlery, shaving gear, 2 pocket knives, 2 guide books to London, mittens and gloves as well as two bank books for accounts with the Commonwealth Bank. All of the personal items were returned to his parents in Murgon.
Eventually a permanent headstone was erected over Ernie’s grave at Kensal Green. His parents chose the following inscription to be added to his name, age, rank and unit.
DEARLY LOVED SON OF MR & MRS GRAY OF MURGON QLD
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