Lieutenant Harold Edwin Bray
Harold Edwin Bray was born on 28 August 1892, son of William Bray of Winterbourne Dauntsey, near Salisbury, Wiltshire.
He enlisted in the 3/1 Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry (No.1525) on 13 April 1915, rising to the rank of sergeant. On 6 December 1916 he was sent to No.1 Cavalry Cadet Squadron at Netheravon. Bray was commissioned on 17 February 1917 and posted to the 1st Reserve Regiment of Lancers at the Curragh.
He arrived in France on 8 May 1917 and joined 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment in the field two days later. The regimental diary notes that he was observation officer at X Corps Headquarters for the Battle of Messines. In July and August, he later claimed, he was Town Major of Ecoivres under ‘Q’ Branch of XIII Corps.
In September 1917 Bray was transferred to the 9th Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers, when the 2nd NIH Regiment was dismounted and absorbed into that battalion. He joined the battalion on 4 November 1917 and took part in the Battle of Cambrai. On 15 December, while in the trenches on Welsh Ridge, near Marcoing, he was severely wounded in the left foot and right shoulder when struck by pieces of high explosive shell.
After treatment and operations in France he was sent to England on 30 January 1918. He remained unfit for service throughout the year. In November when he was classed as ‘Category B’ and rejoined the 1st Reserve Cavalry Regiment.
Bray had been promoted to lieutenant on 17 August 1918. He relinquished his commission on 26 March 1919.
He died at Weymouth, Dorset in 1967.