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Auction: 22003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 316

Four: Private G. J. Gray, 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, who died as a Prisoner of War at Kobe Camp on 2 January 1943 - he had been taken Prisoner at the Fall of Hong Kong and survived the sinking of the Lisbon Maru

1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, in their card box of issue named to his mother 'Mrs. E. Gray, 50 Victoria Cres, S. Tottenham, N15' and with the Army Council enclosure in the name of 'Pte. G. J. Gray.', good very fine (4)

George John Gray was born in 1917, the son of John William and Ethel Gray, of Tottenham and served with the 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment at Hong Kong during the Second World War.

The 'Die Hards' stood to their guns and gave a fine account of themselves, putting in numerous valliant stands and grenade attacks but were forced to endure to the frightful march to Stanley on the night of 22-23 December 1941. A disgruntled soldier said morosely:

'All we do is f---ing retreat.'

Sergeant Manning, a Battalion comrade who won a D.C.M. for his actions replied:

'Who’s retreating? We’re just going the other f---ing way.'

The march to Stanley took five hours and the whole march was made without boots; the roads had been freshly covered with granite chips and every man’s feet were cruelly lacerated. Yet they arrived at their destination still cheerful and ready to fight on, and brought with them all their guns and ammunition. On arrival their subaltern said:

'Everyone all right?'

'Yes, sir. What about a boot inspection?' quipped Sergeant Manning, indomitable and facetious as always. (Fall of Hong Kong by Tim Carew refers).

Gray was taken Prisoner of War with the surviving members of the Battalion at the Fall of Hong Kong on Christmas Day 1941. The capture of the Colony was marked by a large number of atrocities committed by the Japanese - torturing and killing prisoners, the wounded, medical staff and civilians.

Gray was transported from Hong Kong aboard the Lisbon Maru, which ship - armed and bearing no signs of her human cargo - was torpedoed and sunk by an American submarine with a total loss of some 840 Prisoners. And of those that survived, a further 240 died while being used as slave labour in Japan, Gray amongst that number - he died aged 26 on 2 January 1943 at Kobe Camp and is buried in the Yokohama War Cemetery. His mother had the following inscription added to his gravestone:

'SOMEONE THINKS OF YOU ALWAYS AND TRIES TO BE BRAVE AND CONTENT. MOTHER.'

Sold together with two cap Badges and copied research.

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Sold for
£500

Starting price
£220