Victor Pearce Gray

Story:
Victor Pearce Gray was born in East Knoyle, Wiltshire, on 20 Apr 1899 and baptised there on 11 Jun 1899 the son of Benjamin Gray and Susanna Pearce Gray (nee Smith). He lived his early life in East Knoyle until he enlisted and joined the Hampshire Regiment as a Private (Service No. 06038). He later transferred to the 1/20th Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment (Service No. 634706) and again transferred back to the 15th Battalion of the Hampshire Regiment (Service No. 43644) by which time he had been promoted to Acting Sergeant. He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals. During late October 1919 he married Elizabeth Julia Loxley in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland. When the time for his discharge had arrived he signed on for a further period and joined the Royal Army Service Corps as a Lance Sergeant (Service No. 5486707). He was posted to the Army Directorate of Supplies Transport (British Army) and served with them in Constantinople, Turkey, per the 1921 Census. He gave 11 Moorfield Road, Portland, Dorset, as his absentee address where his wife was living. He had left the army by 1922 and resided himself in Portland. By the 1939 Register he had moved to 'Kimberley', Court Road, Orpington, Kent, described as a House and General Building Contractor as well as volunteering as a Special Police Constable. He was visiting Westham, Weymouth, Dorset, at the time of his death on 9 Jan 1959. His brother, Percy Gray, also served in the conflict.