WW1 Fiji Infantry Regiment

[alison300]

Looking for information on a British soldier who served with the Fijian Infantry Regiment in WW1.  The only details i have are the name that appears on the Hackney Wick War Memorial - F. Gray. 

I've tried google and found https://www.freewebs.com/fiji/ but he doesn't seem to be listed.

Any thoughts or ideas of where else to look really appreciated.

[ShaunJ]

Is it a guess that the F ( or is it an E ) stands for Fiji? Or do you have another source for that?

[alison300]

I'm working from the following 2 sites:

https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/166548

https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/name/24119

but if you have any other suggestions that would help too.

[ShaunJ]

The problem is that the Fiji Infantry Regiment did not exist at the time of the First World War.

[ShaunJ]

I did wonder whether " F Infan" might be French Infantry. There was a Frederic Gray mort pour la France in the foreign legion - but he was Belgian and there is no obvious connection with Hackney.

https://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defense.gouv.fr/fr/arkotheque/client/mdh/base_morts_pour_la_france_premiere_guerre/detail_fiche.php?ref=593626&debut=0

[alison300]

Thanks for looking into this.  It's very puzzling - i'm now wondering if it's a mistake - it wouldn't be the first time i've found a memorial showing the wrong info.  Thanks for your help.

[ShaunJ]

Here is a J F Gray from Hackney Wick: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/633602/JAMES%20FRENCH%20GRAY/

[alison300]

Thanks ShaunJ - this maybe well be him so i'll take a good look. 

[ev]

Don't know if you have seen this site ?
https://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2018/07/over-5000-people-died-from-the-ell-boroughs-here-we-remember-them/

I see James French Gray on there.
You can search by individual words on the records , nothing for Fiji in Hackney.


ev