Enmore Green from Castle Hill 3

Maurice Gray

Surname: Gray
Other names: Maurice
Other people in this story:
Thomas Gray
Sarah Jane Gray née Adams
Dorothy Bessie Gray née Peddle
Locations in this story:
Brickhill, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, Dorset
Shaftesbury, Dorset
France
Poole, Dorset
Long Cross, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury
Gold Hill, Shaftesbury

Story:
Maurice Gray was born in Enmore Green, Shaftesbury, on 12th June 1898, the son of Thomas 'Tom' Gray and Sarah Jane Gray (née Adams).  They lived at Brickhill (now called Church Hill), Enmore Green, during his early years.  Maurice enlisted on 10th July 1917 and was placed on reserve until mobilized on 19th February 1917 when he joined the 35th, followed by the 210th, Training Infantry Battalion Reserve as a Private. (Service No. 8/9464).  He was transferred to the 7th Battalion of the King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment on 15th August 1917 and then the 1st/5th Battalion from 8th February 1918 and served in France from 25 July 1917 (Service No. 28197).  He was demobilized on 14th March 1919 and awarded the Victory and British War medals.  At that time he gave his address as Long Cross, Enmore Green, Shaftesbury.   By the time of his marriage to Dorothy Bessie Peddle in 1922 in Shaftesbury he had moved to 91 St. James Street.  There was one child of the marriage.   By the 1939 Register the family were living at 20 Gold Hill, Shaftesbury, and Maurice was working as a Grocer's Shop Assistant.  He died in the Poole Registration District in 1977 and was later buried at the United Reform Church, Shaftesbury.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives
Motcombe War Memorial 4

James Gatehouse Brickell

Surname: Brickell
Other names: James Gatehouse
Other people in this story:
Elijah Brickell
Anne Elizabeth Brickell née Gatehouse
Bessie Harriet Brickell née Bailey
Annie Margaret Brickell née Sears
Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury
Greece
Karasouli Military Cemetery, Polykastro, Greece
Enmore Green, Dorset
Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire
New Road, Croxley Green, Hertfordshire
Pearse Ravine Cemetery
King's Lane, Motcombe, Dorset

Story:
James Gatehouse Brickell was born in 1882 in Shaftesbury. His name was registered as 'James' but he was baptised at Motcombe Church, on 31st December, 1882, with the additional christian name of Gatehouse. He used both names throughout his life. He was the son of Elijah Brickell, a Plasterer, and Anne Elizabeth Brickell (née Gatehouse). By 1901 James had moved to Rickmansworth in Hertfordshire to live with his sister. On the 24th July, 1904, he married Bessie Harriett Bailey in Rickmansworth. By the time of the 1911 Census they had a daughter, were living in Rickmansworth and he was working as a Plasterer. His parents were living in Kings Lane, Motcombe. Later in that year Bessie died and in 1915 he married Annie Margaret Sears. They lived at 239 New Road, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth.

James enlisted in Bedford on 1st December, 1915, but was not mobilized until 5th June, 1916, as a Private in the 3rd Battalion of the Northamptonshire Regiment (Service No. 25611). On the 29th October, 1916, he was transferred to the 3rd Battalion of the King's Own (Royal Lancaster) Regiment (Service No. 26503). At the time of his death 20th May 1917 he was serving in Greece with the 9th (S) Battalion, 'C' Company of the Regiment. He was was buried initially at a small cemetery called Pearse Ravine Cemetery near the Serbian border but in 1919 the 74 bodies from that site were transferred to Karasouli Military Cemetery, Polykastro, Greece (grave id. E.1182) along with bodies from other battlefield sites.

At the time of his death his wife, Annie, was still living at 239 New Road, and was granted a widow's pension the equivalent to 93p for herself and James' daughter. James was awarded the Victory and British War medals and is remembered on the Motcombe War Memorial, Dorset.    

Images:
  • Names on Motcombe War Memorial 1
  • Motcombe War Memorial 3
  • Motcombe War Memorial 02

Links to related web content / sources:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives