Queens South Africa Medal

[yosser]

Hello.
I don't know whether you got an answer to this one but here is what I know. Lieutenant William B.Gray served in South Africa 1901-1902 with the Scottish Volunteer Cycle Corps. He was an officer in the 4th Volunteer Battalion, The Royal Scots with headquarters in Edinburgh.

Hope that is of help.

Many thanks for this information, I had made no progress in trying to solve this mystery.

I will pass this information along to my son in law who owns the medal, he is currently serving in Afghanistan, I'm sure he will be very pleased.

Yosser

[Volunteer]

Hello Yosser.
I remembered that on first commision as a 2nd Lieutenant, the London Gazette annoucement often/usually gave the full name of the gentleman concerned.
I found your man in 1898, 14th June.
His full name was William Birrell Gray.
I found his death certificate on line at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
He died 25th April 1940 aged 68 at Glenard, Auchtermuchty, Fife.
He was a retired civil servant, married twice. First to Mary Macalister 1909 Edinburgh. She died in 1935 aged 62.
Second to Condie Taylor no details.
His birth is recorded at Kilconquhar & Earlsferry, Fife in 1872.
A nephew, A.L.Balfour Gray, recorded the death.

Regards

Volunteer

[yosser]

Hello Yosser.
I remembered that on first commision as a 2nd Lieutenant, the London Gazette annoucement often/usually gave the full name of the gentleman concerned.
I found your man in 1898, 14th June.
His full name was William Birrell Gray.
I found his death certificate on line at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk
He died 25th April 1940 aged 68 at Glenard, Auchtermuchty, Fife.
He was a retired civil servant, married twice. First to Mary Macalister 1909 Edinburgh. She died in 1935 aged 62.
Second to Condie Taylor no details.
His birth is recorded at Kilconquhar & Earlsferry, Fife in 1872.
A nephew, A.L.Balfour Gray, recorded the death.

Regards

Volunteer

Excellent, it will be nice to put this information with the medal. My son-in-law
doesn't know how the medal came into his late fathers possesion.

Yosser

[Volunteer]

Just thought I would run his name through the full date range of the London Gazette and found these:

L.G. 25th May 1928
22nd May 1928  Major William Birrell-Gray, (Administrator of the Colony (of Nigeria)), is appointed to be a Member of the Executive Council of the Colony of Nigeria.
 
L.G. 31st December 1929
1st January 1930 Major William Birrell Gray, Administrator of the Colony, Nigeria, is appointed a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St.Michael and St.George. (That is a C.M.G.)

Might not be the same man but I'll be surprised if it isn't.

Volunteer

[yosser]

Just thought I would run his name through the full date range of the London Gazette and found these:

L.G. 25th May 1928
22nd May 1928 Major William Birrell-Gray, (Administrator of the Colony (of Nigeria)), is appointed to be a Member of the Executive Council of the Colony of Nigeria.
 
L.G. 31st December 1929
1st January 1930 Major William Birrell Gray, Administrator of the Colony, Nigeria, is appointed a Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St.Michael and St.George. (That is a C.M.G.)

Might not be the same man but I'll be surprised if it isn't.

Volunteer

Thanks to you I now have more information on this individual than I have on some members of my own family.

I emailed this information to my son in law who was thrilled to get it.

Yosser