Patrick Riddle Grey was killed in action on this day in 1916
Patrick Riddle Grey was born on 4 January 1893 at Silver Street in Berwick-upon-Tweed. His father was James Lilburn Grey, a wine merchant; his mother, Beatrix Mary née Riddle.
He had two older step-siblings by his father's previous marriage - Euphemia Grahame Grey (1885) and James Lilburn Grey (1885). He had two younger siblings - Catherine Fair Grey (1894) and William Lilburn Grey (1896).
The family lived at Moorside House, Etal Road in the Tweedmouth area of Berwick-upon-Tweed.
Patrick was educated at the Avenue Academy in Berwick and, from 1911 to 1915, studied Mining Engineering at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. In 1914, whilst in Edinburgh, he enlisted as a Cadet with the Officer Training Corps Engineering Unit.
Patrick was gazetted as 2nd Lieutenant on 3 June 1915 and, initially, posted to the 15th (Reserve) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers but then transferred to the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers. He was sent to Gallipoli and, whilst there, served with various regiments finally being attached to the 8th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, 34th Brigade, 11th (Northern) Division, which had arrived in July 1915.
The battalion left Gallipoli for Egypt in January 1916, arriving in Alexandria, 19 February 1916 to take over the Suez canal defences. On 17 June, it was ordered to France.
On 9 July 1916, they disembarked in Marseilles and entrained for their journey north, as reinforcements for the Battle of the Somme. The 8th Battalion was in reserve billets on 20 July, then in and out of the trenches but did not see any major action until they were put into the reserve for the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. On 22 September, they were ordered into the front line trenches to relieve the York and Lancaster Regiment in preparation for the opening attack of the Battle of Thiepval, 26-28 September.
A preliminary operation to capture Mouquet Farm began on the evening of 24 September. A company of the 11th Division reached the farm before the German bombardment commenced but were forced back by machine-gun fire. Unusually the opening attack on 26 September 1916 took place during the day and not under cover of darkness as the Commanders wanted several hours of daylight.
The 26th was a fine day and, at midday, the order was given to advance and push the Germans off the high ground of Thiepval Ridge. Two battalion of the 34th Brigade attacked with smoke bombs, a bombing party reaching Mouquet Farm and their first objective, the German support trenches. However, casualties were heavy, caught in German machine gun fire, and only about 50 survivors dug in that night. The battle for Mouquet Farm continued the following day until at 5:30 p.m. when the last 56 Germans surrendered.
2nd Lieutenant Patrick Riddle Grey, age 23, was amongst the fallen of 26 July 1916 His body was found and buried by his comrades three days later, but his grave was destroyed by subsequent military action.
His sacrifice is recorded on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France.
His Commanding Officer wrote to his parents:-
"I knew your son well, as he was in my company when I commanded one early in the year, and I had a high opinion of him, which I know was shared by Col. Fishbourne. He was very popular with his brother officers and, by his death, the battalion has lost a capable and gallant officer, and his comrades a true friend."
In October, the local newspaper, the Berwick Advertiser, reported his death.
Second Lieutenant Patrick Riddle Grey 15th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers att. 8th (Service) Battalion