Battery Quartermaster Sergeant Frederick Bray Royal Artillery
The Man Frederick Bray was born on 29th March 1888 at Pool Street, Bodmin, Kent. Son of John of John, a Corporal of the Depot, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry (DCLI) and Ellen nee Elford. He was one of eight children, Annie born in 1890, William John 1891, Edith 1894, Richard 1896, Amy Ellen 1898 Robert 1904 and Leonard 1905.
In the 1901 census Frederick, aged 3 is shown with his family, John now being a Sergeant DCLI, living at The Hut Encampment Barracks, 2nd Battalion DCLI, Pembroke, North Wales. By 1901 they were at 168 The Warrens, Victoria Row in Cornwall and John a Soldier Instructor of Volunteers.
In about 1908 aged 20, Frederick enlisted into the Territorial Force Royal Field Artillery with service number 1003. In 1911 the family were living at 10 College Avenue, Tavistock and Frederick aged 23 shown as an Auctioneers Clerk, John was now an Army Pensioner.
Frederick agreed and signed to say he was happy to undertake service overseas and by the start of World War I on 4th August 1914 was a Corporal aged 26.
Frederick was promoted to Sergeant and did spend some in France, possibly as a Draft Sergeant as he only qualified for the 1914-18 British War Medal and Territorial Force War Medal, thus not entering a theatre of war. His service number was also changed to 865551 and he was appointed as Acting Warrant Officer Class II.
In Army Order 275 of 1919 Frederick was awarded the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal as Battery Quartermaster Sergeant and continued service in the Territorial Army from its creation in 1921 with another number 785771. In 1937 he was awarded the Coronation Medal 1937 as Battery Quartermaster Sergeant and possibly upon his retirement aged 50.
With the outbreak of World War II Frederick re-enlisted into the Royal Artillery TA with the same number seeing service in a Light Anti-Aircraft Unit and being awarded the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’ in Army Order 229 of 1942 aged 54. Following the war, he was awarded the Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45.
No other detail is known about Frederick, except he appears not to have married and died during the second quarter of 1962 aged 74 in Tavistock.
In the 1901 census Frederick, aged 3 is shown with his family, John now being a Sergeant DCLI, living at The Hut Encampment Barracks, 2nd Battalion DCLI, Pembroke, North Wales. By 1901 they were at 168 The Warrens, Victoria Row in Cornwall and John a Soldier Instructor of Volunteers.
In about 1908 aged 20, Frederick enlisted into the Territorial Force Royal Field Artillery with service number 1003. In 1911 the family were living at 10 College Avenue, Tavistock and Frederick aged 23 shown as an Auctioneers Clerk, John was now an Army Pensioner.
Frederick agreed and signed to say he was happy to undertake service overseas and by the start of World War I on 4th August 1914 was a Corporal aged 26.
Frederick was promoted to Sergeant and did spend some in France, possibly as a Draft Sergeant as he only qualified for the 1914-18 British War Medal and Territorial Force War Medal, thus not entering a theatre of war. His service number was also changed to 865551 and he was appointed as Acting Warrant Officer Class II.
In Army Order 275 of 1919 Frederick was awarded the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal as Battery Quartermaster Sergeant and continued service in the Territorial Army from its creation in 1921 with another number 785771. In 1937 he was awarded the Coronation Medal 1937 as Battery Quartermaster Sergeant and possibly upon his retirement aged 50.
With the outbreak of World War II Frederick re-enlisted into the Royal Artillery TA with the same number seeing service in a Light Anti-Aircraft Unit and being awarded the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’ in Army Order 229 of 1942 aged 54. Following the war, he was awarded the Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45.
No other detail is known about Frederick, except he appears not to have married and died during the second quarter of 1962 aged 74 in Tavistock.
The Story The medal group awarded to Frederick Bray were acquired from a dealer at the Malvern Flea Fair on Sunday 9th October 2022 and of interest because of the Territorial Force Efficiency and Efficiency Medal long service combination, coupled with the award of the Territorial Force War Medal.
The seemingly missing Victory Medal was discussed with the dealer and assumed it had been split from the group at some point.
The medals were pondered for the next two hours, becoming a big mental distraction whilst looking at other stalls. Thus, the decision was made to buy them, if still available and acquire an erased or copy Victory Medal to make the group up.
They were available and acquired. Unable to resist the temptation and over a coffee Ancestry.UK was immediately checked on the mobile phone and the medal index card quickly found, revealing his first name of Frederick, but also the fact that he was not entitled to a Victory Medal. This made the group even more interesting as the principle of ‘less is more’ applies making the combination slightly scarcer.
Initial research of Forces War Records, 1937 Jubilee Roll and the military section of Ancestry.UK was straightforward, confirming the awards of all the medals, except the Defence and War Medal 1939-45 – but even these fitted within the qualification period at the time in 1942 when he was awarded the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’
One crucial piece of information uncovered on FWR was a reference to discharge papers under surviving WWI service records and giving his date of birth as 29th March 1888. The reference meaning that his service papers are still held by the MoD in view of his WWII service.
A more detailed search was now possible, but even with the birth date there were simply too many Frederick Brays born at about this time to be 100% positive. However, one hit showed a Frederick Bray whose birth was registered in the second quarter (Apr -Jun 1888) likely as he was only born a few days before April on 29th March, this enabled subsequent census records to be located with the 1881 one showing his Father John Bray as a Sergeant in the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry and the family living in barracks, and 1901 as a Soldier Instructor of Volunteers. The coincidence was too much and so the relevant marriage and death records for Frederick were located. However, there was still no definitive link and so his birth certificate was ordered confirming his date of birth, which tied in with the FWR date and service number, therefore the circle was complete and Frederick biography pieced together.
His service records may well reveal more interesting details.
A lucky ‘hit’ in view of the number of Frederick Brays on Ancestry.UK and thanks to the date of birth on FWR everything subsequently fell into place.
The seemingly missing Victory Medal was discussed with the dealer and assumed it had been split from the group at some point.
The medals were pondered for the next two hours, becoming a big mental distraction whilst looking at other stalls. Thus, the decision was made to buy them, if still available and acquire an erased or copy Victory Medal to make the group up.
They were available and acquired. Unable to resist the temptation and over a coffee Ancestry.UK was immediately checked on the mobile phone and the medal index card quickly found, revealing his first name of Frederick, but also the fact that he was not entitled to a Victory Medal. This made the group even more interesting as the principle of ‘less is more’ applies making the combination slightly scarcer.
Initial research of Forces War Records, 1937 Jubilee Roll and the military section of Ancestry.UK was straightforward, confirming the awards of all the medals, except the Defence and War Medal 1939-45 – but even these fitted within the qualification period at the time in 1942 when he was awarded the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’
One crucial piece of information uncovered on FWR was a reference to discharge papers under surviving WWI service records and giving his date of birth as 29th March 1888. The reference meaning that his service papers are still held by the MoD in view of his WWII service.
A more detailed search was now possible, but even with the birth date there were simply too many Frederick Brays born at about this time to be 100% positive. However, one hit showed a Frederick Bray whose birth was registered in the second quarter (Apr -Jun 1888) likely as he was only born a few days before April on 29th March, this enabled subsequent census records to be located with the 1881 one showing his Father John Bray as a Sergeant in the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry and the family living in barracks, and 1901 as a Soldier Instructor of Volunteers. The coincidence was too much and so the relevant marriage and death records for Frederick were located. However, there was still no definitive link and so his birth certificate was ordered confirming his date of birth, which tied in with the FWR date and service number, therefore the circle was complete and Frederick biography pieced together.
His service records may well reveal more interesting details.
A lucky ‘hit’ in view of the number of Frederick Brays on Ancestry.UK and thanks to the date of birth on FWR everything subsequently fell into place.
Medal Details:
- 1914-18 British War Medal: 1003 SJT.F.BRAY. R.A.
- Territorial Force War Medal: 1003 CPL.F.BRAY R.A.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Coronation MEdal 1937: Unamed as awarded.
- Territorial Force Efficiency Medal: 865551 SJT F.BRAY. R.F.A.
- Efficiency Medal 'Territorial': 785771 R.Q.M.SJJT F.BRAY. R.A.
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This page last updated 27 Oct 22
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