Frederick Oliver Gray
Oliver Gray c 1920s
Gladys and Oliver Gray
Oliver Gray and his dog, Frank.
Frederick Oliver Gray (known as Oliver), born in 1895, was a farmer from North Bruny Island, when he enlisted on 23 May 1916.
Private Gray was a Quaker and entered the Claremont Camp with his brother, Thomas, in 1916. Meningitis was prevalent at the Camp. Tom volunteered to nurse a case and contracted the disorder and died on 19 June 1916 in Hobart.
Private Gray embarked on the HMAT Euripides (A14), departing Melbourne on 11 September 1916. He arrived at Plymouth on 26 October 1916 and following military training in England was transferred to the 3rd Field Ambulance in France on 10 January 1917.
Private Gray's brother, Oberlin, also served with the 3rd Field Ambulance on the Western Front. Private Gray was with Oberlin when he died of shell wounds in August 1918.
Private Gray was one of two Tasmanians to receive the French Legion D'Honneur: Medaille Militaire. Only 56 of these medals were issued to Australians.
Private Gray, was awarded the French Legion D'Honneur: Medaille Militaire as during an attack by the enemy, Private Gray worked with exceptional courage and devotion attending the wounded men, under heavy artillery and machine gun fire. Private Gray moved out under extremely heavy fire in view of the enemy and give first aid to the wounded, and also carried them back to a covered position. His conduct throughout this action was recognised as deserving of the highest praise and his quick and valuable services undoubtedly saved many lives.
Private Gray returned to Australia on 4 January 1919.
Mr Gray returned to Bruny Island after the war and ran a farm, 'Grasmere', at Killora with his brother, Arthur.
In 1921, Mr Gray married Gladys, the daughter of Joseph Hunter and Sarah Pybus, of Barnes Bay, North Bruny Island. They had three daughters, Ann Elizabeth, Mary Elwin and Barbara Louisa. The daughters were educated at The Friends School, Hobart.
Mr Gray was elected to the Bruny Island Council to represent the Lennon Ward from May 1921 - April 1933, and again from 1954 - April 1955. He was Warden of the Municipality of Bruny from May 1925 to May 1933. Mr Gray was also a Justice of the Peace and a Coroner.
Mr Gray contributed to the understanding of the Bruny Island’s history by writing the books Recollections of North Bruny, published in 1978, and Further Recollections of North Bruny, published in 1985.
The coordinator of the Bruny Island Historical Society, Bev Davis, wrote in April 1997 that:
“In his two books, Oliver Gray did a wonderful job for posterity by committing to paper his recollections of a long lifetime spent on Bruny Island. Without his efforts, these snippets of a past era would have been lost forever.”
Mr Gray died peacefully on 26 April 1994 at Eldercare, Franklin. Mr Gray was cremated. The ashes of Mr and Mrs Gray were placed under a peace rose at their old home, 'Grasmere'.
References
Commonwealth Gazette No. 189, Date 11 October 1917.
Kathy Duncombe for the Bruny Island Historical Society, Index to F Oliver Gray’s “Recollections of North Bruny” and “Further Recollections of North Bruny Island”, Printing Authority of Tasmania, 1997.
University of New South Wales, Canberra, The AIF Project
Acknowledgement
Bruny Island Historical Society