Dublin Core
Title
Roy Gray World War I Journal - 1919
Bill for Delivery of Muriel Gray - 1924
Bill for Delivery of Muriel Gray - 1924
Description
Copies of this book were given by American Woolen Company to their employees who were returning service men, to allow them to record aspects of their service.
This book belonged to Roy Charles Gray, born on October 22, 1899, in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia. who served during WWI in the Canadian Army after enlisting in Joggins Mines, Nova Scotia, at the age of sixteen. On page 28, Gray noted being wounded at the Somme, then at Passchendaele, and lastly at Arras. On pages 59 through 72, Gray offered a narrative of his Army experience. He dated his narrative to 1922 and recounted training, travel, his own wounding and recovery, and three or four graphic references to terrible injuries and death of comrades. He stopped his story mid-sentence before the end of his war experience. The book retains at the back, the foldout map of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Amid the pages dated 1922, Roy gave his address as 10 Lincoln Street in Maynard. According to Maynard marriage and birth records, Roy, listed officially as Charles LeRoy Gray, married Martha Anne Parker on April 28, 1923, in Maynard. On January 9, 1924, Muriel Martha Gray was born to Charles LeRoy and Martha Ann Parker, living at 1 Randall Road. According to the 1930 US Census, the family was living at 93 Summer Street and Roy was working as a machinist at the woolen mill. Per the 1940 and 1950 US Censuses, the family was still living at 93 Summer Street and Roy was working as a janitor and crossing guard at the Bancroft Street School, which he did for 25 years. He died in July of 1975 and is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord with his wife.
In the front of the book is the bill for Roy Gray's daughter, Muriel Gray's birth, $20, charged by Raymond E. Hooper, M.D. in 1924.
This book belonged to Roy Charles Gray, born on October 22, 1899, in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia. who served during WWI in the Canadian Army after enlisting in Joggins Mines, Nova Scotia, at the age of sixteen. On page 28, Gray noted being wounded at the Somme, then at Passchendaele, and lastly at Arras. On pages 59 through 72, Gray offered a narrative of his Army experience. He dated his narrative to 1922 and recounted training, travel, his own wounding and recovery, and three or four graphic references to terrible injuries and death of comrades. He stopped his story mid-sentence before the end of his war experience. The book retains at the back, the foldout map of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive.
Amid the pages dated 1922, Roy gave his address as 10 Lincoln Street in Maynard. According to Maynard marriage and birth records, Roy, listed officially as Charles LeRoy Gray, married Martha Anne Parker on April 28, 1923, in Maynard. On January 9, 1924, Muriel Martha Gray was born to Charles LeRoy and Martha Ann Parker, living at 1 Randall Road. According to the 1930 US Census, the family was living at 93 Summer Street and Roy was working as a machinist at the woolen mill. Per the 1940 and 1950 US Censuses, the family was still living at 93 Summer Street and Roy was working as a janitor and crossing guard at the Bancroft Street School, which he did for 25 years. He died in July of 1975 and is buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord with his wife.
In the front of the book is the bill for Roy Gray's daughter, Muriel Gray's birth, $20, charged by Raymond E. Hooper, M.D. in 1924.
Creator
Franklin A. Gillis
Boston, Mass.
Boston, Mass.
Date
1919
Contributor
Donated by Muriel Gray DeWitt (daughter of Roy Gray)
Narrative by Terry Jones
Narrative by Terry Jones
Identifier
1999.2336
1999.2337
Publisher
The Southgate Press, Boston, U.S.A.
Relation
Document Item Type Metadata
Text
Transcription of pages 59-72
Warning - contains some graphic details of war
12/1/1922
Roy Charles Gray
It was the year of 1914 that Great Britain declared war against Germany which Canada went to fight on August 4, 1914, for her mother country, England. It was on the 28th of August 1915 that I went and enlisted from Joggins Mines for the 64th Battalion which was training at Sussex New Brunswick at the time. I was only 16 years of age when I enlisted so I did not know what I was going to, but it did not take long for me to find out what it was. It was on the 31st of August 1915 that I started my training. I did not find it very nice going out training all day and standing in a big line for my meals and sleeping outdoors in a tent with about 7 or 8 more fellows with me. It was kind of hard coming right from home and going in training but inside of a week I did not find it so hard. But getting up in the morning and going outdoors and washing in ice cold water - it does wake a fellow up. Well, we were not very long there. I think we had about 18 or 20 hundred men and after a couple of months there, we went to Halifax at the place they called No. 2 Pier. It was not a wooden pier; it was concrete and it was a good place. But in the place, there was no steam - it was pretty cold. So that was our home for a while. It was there that we started our training again. We would have to start out before breakfast in the morning and do a little drill and then after that we would go for a route march or go up to the common and do a little drill. But on stormy days, we would stay in the Pier and drill. Well, I can remember one day we started out for a march. We walked about 12 or 13 miles to the place, and we had dinner and a little drill, but we had to walk the same distance back. But we got back all right and there was only one man that dropped out. But the day after or a couple of days after, there were a lot that got their discharge after the march with flat feet and a lot of other complaints. After that, we had to recruit for more men.
Well, it was April 9th, 1916, that we sailed for England. We had one nice trip going across so we landed in Liverpool. I heard them say that we were the first to land in there. We disembarked at Liverpool and took the train for Bramshott England. We did some training there and after that we went to Otterpool Camp not far from Shorncliffe. It was there that our battalion got split up. Some went to the Pioneers, but I was quarantined for a couple of days there. Well after we left there, we went to a place called Hyde. It was there that we learned to shoot at the target. We stayed there till we all had our range practice, and they came around and told us we had to go to Shorncliffe. We all started - not all, for there were a few that stayed back - so we went down there and got our equipment for France and a lot of stuff that we needed for the line. Well, it was July 1916 that we got on the boat for France, so we all got broke up. Our Company C was going to the 24th Battalion Montreal, and D Company was going to the 26th New Brunswick, and B and about all of A Company was going to the 25th Battalion Nova Scotia.
So I am starting my experiences in France. The first place they took us was some Canadian Camp where they taught us to do trench warfare. We had to sleep about 18 or 20 in a tent, for the place was crowded with soldiers. They taught us how to clean out a trench and to clean out a dugout and all kinds of warfare. Well, after having a little training there, they sent us up the line. When I landed in Belgium our battalion was in the line somewhere so when they came out, I went to my own company. They put me in D Company 15 Platoon where Lieutenant Cowan was my platoon officer. We did not stay long out, for inside of a week, we all went in the line. That was my first time in the trenches. The trenches we went in were called N, and M trenches. There was not much fighting for it was after the Ypres fight that I went in, and they were pretty quiet, but the Germans were firing a lot of rifle shots at us, and a few rum jars and fish tails - that's what they were called. I did not know what danger I was in, for I'd never been in before, but the second or third night there was a rum jar came over and landed in a little dugout, and our company sergeant major and his batman (aide) was in the dugout, so we started to dig them out, and all we got of them we put in a sandbag, for they were all blown to pieces. That was the first thing to see - what a shell could do, and I don't think I ate much breakfast the next morning for I felt a little sick. So, the next night, they sent me and another fellow out in no-man's land to a listening post, and it makes cold chills go through a fellow - laying out there at night and a few big rats running around and a fellow got to keep his eyes open and keep quiet. But a fellow is pretty brave when he first goes in the line, but after a while it breaks a fellow's nerves.
Well, I think we stayed 6 or 7 days in there and we went out for a little rest, for there was only two of our company in and two out so our other two companies took our place. We were not very far from the line, for we had to carry the grub up to them, and they were digging a mine, and we had to take up explosives to the miners. So, inside of a week, or more, we all went out and got clean up, so that was my first trip. Well, we stayed around Belgium for a little while and we got orders to start on a 9-days march to the Somme Front. The first day was not too bad, but it got worse all the time walking over hard stone roads and my feet were pretty sore. We walked all day and slept in a barn at night. We would get some hay or straw, and it would not take us long to fall asleep. So we landed in a place called Albert. It was away back of the line, so we stayed there on a big common. There were thousands and thousands of troops there waiting for to go in the line. I was glad when we landed, for I felt like having a good rest, but all the place we had to sleep was on the ground, but it felt good. We stayed a couple of days there and they sent a few of us up to dig out an old trench, for it was all blown in. I think we found about 3 or 4 dead Germans. I remember one fellow we dug out. We found a picture of his wife and two nice little kids. Well, we worked there till it became nearly daylight and then we went back to the rest of the fellows, back to Albert.
We stayed there a couple more days and then our battalion and our brigade and all our division all went in the line, for they were going to start a drive on the Somme Front. We landed in the line on September 15, 1916. The Company I was in was kept back in reserve, so the morning of the 17th, I was going up the line. When I got to a trench what we had to cross there were about 15 in our party carrying grub and bombs and lots of stuff. Behind me so we just got to this trench when we heard one of the big shells and the next thing I knew, I got hit in the head. I took a round and our officer got his eyes smacked. He was the first and next fellow to him did not get hurt. I was the third, so the fourth fellow got his hip and back blown off. So, after I got dressed, I started out and I met my two chums right back of me, they started up the line. After we got shook up so when they got up to where we got hit my two chums got blown to pieces. I went out to the dressing station and got fixed up pretty good, so they send me down the line. I landed in England - a place called Stockport and stayed there for a while. That Battle of the Somme - the first time that the tanks were used, and I guess it seared the Germans all right. I stayed in England for a while and then I was sent back to France again. Well while I was in England, I went on a furlough to Scotland to Lieth. Well, I landed in my battalion when they were getting ready for the Vimy Drive. I did not go over with my battalion, but they gave me a job to carry stuff up to them and go bring prisoners back, for which they had captured. That was one dirty morning. It was raining and hailing and lots of mud. There were a lot of wounded and dead that day. There was one German lying dead - I guess somebody must have hit him on the head for his head was split in two. It was an awful thing to see before breakfast, but a fellow gets used to it. Well, it was only a couple of days after the drive that I had to go and join my battalion. Well, we stayed around Vimy about one or two months. we had to hold the trench at Lens after we stayed a few months there, they sent me down the line for to take a course, an N.C.O. course, and while I was down there our division went over the top on the left of Lens. That is the time I did not go with them. Well, I stayed there to finish my course and then I came up to join my battalion again. Our battalion stayed around there for a while and one day we got orders to start on a march for the Germans were starting the spring drive, so we walked all night and landed in a little village the next morning. So, we stayed there for a night and the next night we had to
Warning - contains some graphic details of war
12/1/1922
Roy Charles Gray
It was the year of 1914 that Great Britain declared war against Germany which Canada went to fight on August 4, 1914, for her mother country, England. It was on the 28th of August 1915 that I went and enlisted from Joggins Mines for the 64th Battalion which was training at Sussex New Brunswick at the time. I was only 16 years of age when I enlisted so I did not know what I was going to, but it did not take long for me to find out what it was. It was on the 31st of August 1915 that I started my training. I did not find it very nice going out training all day and standing in a big line for my meals and sleeping outdoors in a tent with about 7 or 8 more fellows with me. It was kind of hard coming right from home and going in training but inside of a week I did not find it so hard. But getting up in the morning and going outdoors and washing in ice cold water - it does wake a fellow up. Well, we were not very long there. I think we had about 18 or 20 hundred men and after a couple of months there, we went to Halifax at the place they called No. 2 Pier. It was not a wooden pier; it was concrete and it was a good place. But in the place, there was no steam - it was pretty cold. So that was our home for a while. It was there that we started our training again. We would have to start out before breakfast in the morning and do a little drill and then after that we would go for a route march or go up to the common and do a little drill. But on stormy days, we would stay in the Pier and drill. Well, I can remember one day we started out for a march. We walked about 12 or 13 miles to the place, and we had dinner and a little drill, but we had to walk the same distance back. But we got back all right and there was only one man that dropped out. But the day after or a couple of days after, there were a lot that got their discharge after the march with flat feet and a lot of other complaints. After that, we had to recruit for more men.
Well, it was April 9th, 1916, that we sailed for England. We had one nice trip going across so we landed in Liverpool. I heard them say that we were the first to land in there. We disembarked at Liverpool and took the train for Bramshott England. We did some training there and after that we went to Otterpool Camp not far from Shorncliffe. It was there that our battalion got split up. Some went to the Pioneers, but I was quarantined for a couple of days there. Well after we left there, we went to a place called Hyde. It was there that we learned to shoot at the target. We stayed there till we all had our range practice, and they came around and told us we had to go to Shorncliffe. We all started - not all, for there were a few that stayed back - so we went down there and got our equipment for France and a lot of stuff that we needed for the line. Well, it was July 1916 that we got on the boat for France, so we all got broke up. Our Company C was going to the 24th Battalion Montreal, and D Company was going to the 26th New Brunswick, and B and about all of A Company was going to the 25th Battalion Nova Scotia.
So I am starting my experiences in France. The first place they took us was some Canadian Camp where they taught us to do trench warfare. We had to sleep about 18 or 20 in a tent, for the place was crowded with soldiers. They taught us how to clean out a trench and to clean out a dugout and all kinds of warfare. Well, after having a little training there, they sent us up the line. When I landed in Belgium our battalion was in the line somewhere so when they came out, I went to my own company. They put me in D Company 15 Platoon where Lieutenant Cowan was my platoon officer. We did not stay long out, for inside of a week, we all went in the line. That was my first time in the trenches. The trenches we went in were called N, and M trenches. There was not much fighting for it was after the Ypres fight that I went in, and they were pretty quiet, but the Germans were firing a lot of rifle shots at us, and a few rum jars and fish tails - that's what they were called. I did not know what danger I was in, for I'd never been in before, but the second or third night there was a rum jar came over and landed in a little dugout, and our company sergeant major and his batman (aide) was in the dugout, so we started to dig them out, and all we got of them we put in a sandbag, for they were all blown to pieces. That was the first thing to see - what a shell could do, and I don't think I ate much breakfast the next morning for I felt a little sick. So, the next night, they sent me and another fellow out in no-man's land to a listening post, and it makes cold chills go through a fellow - laying out there at night and a few big rats running around and a fellow got to keep his eyes open and keep quiet. But a fellow is pretty brave when he first goes in the line, but after a while it breaks a fellow's nerves.
Well, I think we stayed 6 or 7 days in there and we went out for a little rest, for there was only two of our company in and two out so our other two companies took our place. We were not very far from the line, for we had to carry the grub up to them, and they were digging a mine, and we had to take up explosives to the miners. So, inside of a week, or more, we all went out and got clean up, so that was my first trip. Well, we stayed around Belgium for a little while and we got orders to start on a 9-days march to the Somme Front. The first day was not too bad, but it got worse all the time walking over hard stone roads and my feet were pretty sore. We walked all day and slept in a barn at night. We would get some hay or straw, and it would not take us long to fall asleep. So we landed in a place called Albert. It was away back of the line, so we stayed there on a big common. There were thousands and thousands of troops there waiting for to go in the line. I was glad when we landed, for I felt like having a good rest, but all the place we had to sleep was on the ground, but it felt good. We stayed a couple of days there and they sent a few of us up to dig out an old trench, for it was all blown in. I think we found about 3 or 4 dead Germans. I remember one fellow we dug out. We found a picture of his wife and two nice little kids. Well, we worked there till it became nearly daylight and then we went back to the rest of the fellows, back to Albert.
We stayed there a couple more days and then our battalion and our brigade and all our division all went in the line, for they were going to start a drive on the Somme Front. We landed in the line on September 15, 1916. The Company I was in was kept back in reserve, so the morning of the 17th, I was going up the line. When I got to a trench what we had to cross there were about 15 in our party carrying grub and bombs and lots of stuff. Behind me so we just got to this trench when we heard one of the big shells and the next thing I knew, I got hit in the head. I took a round and our officer got his eyes smacked. He was the first and next fellow to him did not get hurt. I was the third, so the fourth fellow got his hip and back blown off. So, after I got dressed, I started out and I met my two chums right back of me, they started up the line. After we got shook up so when they got up to where we got hit my two chums got blown to pieces. I went out to the dressing station and got fixed up pretty good, so they send me down the line. I landed in England - a place called Stockport and stayed there for a while. That Battle of the Somme - the first time that the tanks were used, and I guess it seared the Germans all right. I stayed in England for a while and then I was sent back to France again. Well while I was in England, I went on a furlough to Scotland to Lieth. Well, I landed in my battalion when they were getting ready for the Vimy Drive. I did not go over with my battalion, but they gave me a job to carry stuff up to them and go bring prisoners back, for which they had captured. That was one dirty morning. It was raining and hailing and lots of mud. There were a lot of wounded and dead that day. There was one German lying dead - I guess somebody must have hit him on the head for his head was split in two. It was an awful thing to see before breakfast, but a fellow gets used to it. Well, it was only a couple of days after the drive that I had to go and join my battalion. Well, we stayed around Vimy about one or two months. we had to hold the trench at Lens after we stayed a few months there, they sent me down the line for to take a course, an N.C.O. course, and while I was down there our division went over the top on the left of Lens. That is the time I did not go with them. Well, I stayed there to finish my course and then I came up to join my battalion again. Our battalion stayed around there for a while and one day we got orders to start on a march for the Germans were starting the spring drive, so we walked all night and landed in a little village the next morning. So, we stayed there for a night and the next night we had to
Original Format
120-page, hard cover book, 7 x 10 in. - navy blue
Storage
VF44
SU19-1