Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

William Grey was born William George McLeod Fridd, the son of Emma Jane Fridd, on 7 April 1892 at Awamoko near Oamaru. Emma Jane Fridd married Frank Darce Grey on 6 April 1893, in the Lower Waitaki Presbyterian Parish. Frank ‘adopted’ William giving him the Grey name. Emma and Frank had five children, their only son, Frank, dying in 1899 at eight months of age. 1899 was not a good year for Emma Jane Grey. “An accident of a rather serious nature, which might have proved fatal,” occurred in late March between Ngapara and Tokarahi. Mr and Mrs Grey and a friend met with an accident at a notorious bad bend in the road, their trap going over a deep embankment and hurling Mrs Grey to the bottom. “Here, with her face fearfully mangled, she was picked up for dead, but after a while she regained consciousness, having been insensible for about two hours.” Help came and she was taken to her home at Maerewhenua, where her wounds were attended to by her mother, who chanced to be there. “She looked a terrible sight, being badly cut about the face and dreadfully bruised, but next morning she appeared to be doing as well as could be expected under the painful circumstances. Mrs Grey is a daughter of Mr George Fridd, of Borton’s Siding. The horse and trap, strange to say, were uninjured.” On 2 April 1899, Frank Grey, the only son of Emma and Frank, senior, died at 8 months. Just seven weeks later, on 19 May, Frank Grey, senior) died at his Oamaru residence (late of Maerewhenua) and was buried at Oamaru with his little son. Mrs Grey acknowledged through the newspaper column the kindness of many friends in her bereavement. Almost eight months after Frank’s death, Clara Elizabeth Grey was born to Emma.

Along with his Grey siblings, William was educated at North Otago schools – Maerewhenua, Oamaru North and Maheno. It was at Oamaru North in 1900 that he received a prize – for first in reading, Standard I Preparatory (boys). In 1901 he was placed third in aggregate marks for Standard I (boys) and second in writing. His oldest sister Mary also received a prize. On 23 October 1901, Emma Grey married Henry William Butt in the Duntroon Presbyterian Parish. Emma and Henry were to have eight children, the youngest dying in infancy. At the beginning of 1913, Emma and Henry and family moved from Maerewhenua to Timaru and then towards the end of the year to the Normanby-Kingsdown district.

And at Kingsdown they were when war broke out and the troops were rallied in 1914. From the Territorials, William Grey enrolled and passed the examination on 12 August 1914, in a very lively and busy Timaru Drill Shed; he was not one of those rejected because they were over age or under-age, insufficiently developed, had no experience, or were over-weight (the regulation weight was 12 stone). He stood at 5 feet 10 inches, weighed 140 pounds, and had a chest measurement of 35-37½ inches. He had a fair complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. His sight, hearing and colour vision were all good, his limbs and chest well formed, and his heart and lungs normal, but his teeth were only fair. Free from diseases and vaccinated, he was in good bodily and mental health. He belonged to the 10th Regiment North Otago. A labourer (driver) at Kingsdown, single and Methodist, he named his mother as next-of-kin – Mrs H. Butt, Kingsdown, Timaru.

The South Canterbury Infantry, which included W. Grey, arrived in camp at Christchurch on the night of 17 August and quickly settled down in the quarters prepared for them. Private W. Grey was appointed to No. 5 Platoon, B Company (Second South Canterbury Regiment), under Captain D. Grant, at the central camp at Christchurch in mid-August 1914. Private W. Grey embarked with the Canterbury Infantry Battalion of the Main Body, departing from Lyttelton on 16 October 1914 and disembarking at Alexandria, Egypt on 3 December. Wounded at the Dardanelles on 25 April 1915, he was admitted to hospital at Alexandria on 17 May. He was again admitted to hospital – 15th General Hospital - on 2 June. In August 1915, W. Grey was listed among the wounded and sick of the Canterbury Units who were returning to New Zealand by the “Tahiti”. He had been reported permanently unfit.

William Grey, of Kingsdown, was one of 16 South Canterbury men who returned, invalided, to New Zealand by the “Tahiti”, embarking on 7 August 1915. Although the transport anchored safely at Wellington on 12 September, her departure to Lyttelton and Port Chalmers was delayed by a few days. On 15 September, Private W. Grey, of Kingsdown, and three comrades reached Timaru by the second express and were heartily welcomed. He went to the Front with the Main Body and took part in the historical landing at the Dardanelles on April 25, where he was wounded in the leg, reported the next day’s Herald. He was granted two months leave of absence, from 11 September 1915 to 11 November and was recommended to the Pensions Board. He was initially at Kingsdown, Timaru but intended to reside in Christchurch. He was discharged on 25 November 1915, having served in Egypt and at Gallipoli, but now medically unfit for active service. He was of good character and was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

William was named at the Kingsdown School’s picnic and prize day in December 1915, since he had enlisted from Kingsdown. Mr Craigie, M.P. referred to the Great War as “the most momentous war of all history” and noted that Kingsdown, in proportion to its population, had nobly done its share in sending men. William Grey had been severely wounded after the landing, 25 April. His uncles, Peter and Albert Fridd, were also mentioned. At the December 1917 Kingsdown School picnic, Mr J. Craigie, M. P., complimented those present on their patriotism and made the observation that few districts in New Zealand, if any, were better represented at the front in proportion to their population. At that date, 33 past pupils had gone to the Front and of the 31 survivors, all were still serving. He also read out a list of names of those who had been educated at other schools but enlisted from Kingsdown. Included in that list was William Grey who had been severely wounded at Gallipoli and had since returned.

It was not until the first Friday in May 1918 that Private William Grey was welcomed home at Kingsdown. At a very successful gathering in the Kingsdown School, he and Trooper Lynton Daniel, more recently returned, (and Martin Carter who was unable to be present) were presented with gold medals by the people of Kingsdown. After a much-appreciated programme of musical items, the more formal proceedings took place. “Mr J. Craigie, M.P., expressed his pleasure at being present. Private Grey he said, had taken part in the memorable landing on Gallipoli Peninsula, on April 25, 1915. He extolled the marvellous courage of those who took put in the landing and recited an eloquent passage describing the departure of the British fleet from Lemnos for Gallipoli. . . . . . Mr Craigie said he was extremely pleased to be able to assist to honour young men with such good records of service. . . . . . . Mr Craigie afterwards presented gold medals suitably inscribed to Private Grey anil Trooper Daniel, who expressed their thanks for the gifts. . . . . . . After the National Anthem an enjoyable cup of tea. was handed round. The young people afterwards engaged in a dance.”

William married Doreen Annie Fifield in 1917. William, who worked as a motor mechanic and motor salesman, and Doreen lived all their married life in Christchurch. William Grey – Late N.Z.E.F., Main body - died on 26 October 1959 at Christchurch, aged 67 years, and was buried at Waimairi Cemetery, Christchurch. He was survived by his wife, their daughter Dorothy May (Mrs Cook) and son William Frank (known as Frank), and three grandchildren. Doreen died in September 969 and was buried with William at Waimairi. William appointed his wife and son executors of his Will and made provision for his wife, in the event of her prior death, his daughter and son to be the beneficiaries. Two uncles of William served in World War One – Peter Fridd, who was killed in action in 1916 in France, and John Fridd (Jack); and a cousin also served – Albert Fridd. William’s mother’s second husband, Harry Butt, died in 1919 at Kingsdown and was buried at Timaru, while his mother, who had been taken for dead back in 1899, died in 1955 at Kingsdown and was buried at Timaru.

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Cenotaph Database [19 July 2014]; NZ Defence Force Personnel Records (Archives NZ Ref. AABK 18805 W5539 0047797) [03 August 2015]; Oamaru Mail, 27 March 1899, 3 April 1899, 20 & 22 May 1899, 20 December 1900, 19 December 1901, 11 July 1919, Timaru Herald, 13 & 18 August 1914, 27 August 1915, 13 & 16 September 1915, 30 December 1915, 28 December 1917, 7 May 1918, 2 August 1918, 11 July 1919, Sun, 5 September 1914, Press, 21 & 28 August 1914, 28 October 1959 (Papers Past) [11 July 2014; 02 August 2014; 01 & 11 September 2014; 12 February 2015; 30 April 2015; 05 & 06 May 2022; 23 June 2023; 07 November 2023]; School Admission records (Oamaru Branch NZSG) [02 August 2014; 07 November 2023]; Waimairi Cemetery burial records (Christchurch City Council) [08 March 2015]; Waimairi Cemetery headstone transcription (South Canterbury Branch NZSG cemetery records) [18 December 2016]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [25 September 2014; 26 August 2015; 07 November 2023]; Timaru Herald, 3 & 4 February 1955 (Timaru District Library) [26 September 2014]; Probate record (Archives NZ/FamilySearch) [27 December 2015]; NZ Electoral Rolls (ancestry.com.au) [07 November 2023]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

• GREY William - newspaper clippings (pdf, 99.1 KB updated 06-Dec-2023)

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