Robert Gray was one of the Scottish diaspora who returned from the United States to fight for Britain. He was the youngest of twelve children, born in Edinburgh in 1880. At the time of his marriage in Glasgow in 1905 he was working as a carter. In 1911 he emigrated to the U.S. and when he was joined by his wife (my great aunt) in 1912 he was living in the Bronx. By 1915 they had moved to Rhode Island where he was working as an ostler. They returned to Glasgow in April 1916. Initially he served with 7th Highland Light Infantry and later transferred to 7th Cameronians(Scottish Rifles). Both Regiments served in Palestine and fought at the Battle of Jerusalem 11 December 1917.  7th Cameronians sailed from Egypt on 11April 1918 and arrived in Marseilles on 17 April so he would have been unaware that his brother-in-law Private John Gray 8th Royal Scots had been killed in action at Mont Bernanchon on 12 April 1918. Robert Gray was killed at Moeuvres, Northern France on 22/23 September 1918.The Cameronians Service Returns state that he was killed in action on 23rd September but the CWGC records state the 22nd. According to the War Diaries there were casualties to transport only on the 22nd but human casualties were recorded on 23rd.Therefore, it is possible that because of his civilian experience as a horse handler he was killed on 22nd whilst looking after the horses.

frances pratt