Private William Grey

Private William Grey, 1st/5th ( Territorial ) Battalion, Northumberland Fusiliers. He was killed in action in France on 25th March 1918, age 26, during the German March Offensive. He was the son of George and Annie Grey of 25 Liddle Terrace, Widdington, Morpeth and the husband of Isabella Grey of 21 Weatherly Square, Berwick. He is commemorated on the Pozieres Memorial, Somme, France. The photographs show Allied troops preparing to resist the advancing Germans. The colour photograph shows the impressive Memorial raised to commemorate the 50th ( Northumbrian ) Division of which the Battalion was part until July 1918 when it was reduced to a cadre and transferred to lines of communication duties. It was erected near the village of Weiltje in the Ypres Salient where nearby on 26th April 1915 the Division had fought its first action of the War only days after landing on the Continent. The photos show Allied troops in defensive positions.