Sgt 300253 Fred Gilvray

• Age: 23
• From: St Helens, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• D.O.W Monday 8th October 1917
• Commemorated at: St Sever Cem Ext Rouen
  Panel Ref: P.III.F.5B

Fred Gilvray was born in 1894 at St Helens and was baptised in the town on 06^th May 1894. He was the son of Daniel and Jane Ann Gilvray. He was well known as a swimmer winning the championship at Cowley Grammar School where he was a scholar.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 104 Duke Street, St Helens. His father Daniel is aged 38, born in St Helens in 1863 and is a butcher by trade. Fred's mother, Jane Ann, is aged 36, born 1865 also in St Helens. They have three children all born in St Helens, Harry aged 10, born 1891, Alfred aged 9, born 1892 and Fred aged 7, born 1894. They also have two servants living at the address Sarah Mainson aged 28, born 1873 and Maggie Prescott aged 16, born 1885.

The 1911 Census finds the family still resident at 104 Duke Street. Fred is living with his parents and two brothers. He is now 16 years of age and is employed as a butcher.  

He enlisted in St Helens and was formerly 250191, Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry where he held the rank of Corporal. After seeing service in Egypt he was promoted to Sergeant. Following a transfer he was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Sergeant No 300253 when he died of wounds on the 8th October, 1917 aged 23 during the Third Battle of Ypres (Passchendaele) after being wounded on the 7^th October.

According to his obituary in the Warrington Guardian of 20th October 1917: 

"Sergeant Gilvray was admitted to hospital suffering from wounds in the head and right eye, and passed away without regaining consciousness". 

He now rests at St Sever Cemetery Ext, Rouen, France. 

During the First World War, Commonwealth camps and hospitals were stationed on the southern outskirts of Rouen. A base supply depot and the 3rd Echelon of General Headquarters were also established in the city.

Almost all of the hospitals at Rouen remained there for practically the whole of the war. They included eight general, five stationary, one British Red Cross and one labour hospital, and No. 2 Convalescent Depot. A number of the dead from these hospitals were buried in other cemeteries, but the great majority were taken to the city cemetery of St. Sever. In September 1916, it was found necessary to begin an extension, where the last burial took place in April 1920.

The Cemetery and the Extension adjoin each other but have separate Registers.

During the Second World War, Rouen was again a hospital centre and the extension was used once more for the burial of Commonwealth servicemen, many of whom died as prisoners of war during the German occupation.

The cemetery extension contains 8,348 Commonwealth burials of the First World War (ten of them unidentified) and in Block "S" there are 328 from the Second World War (18 of them unidentified). There are also 8 Foreign National burials here. The adjoining St. Sever Cemetery contains 3,082 Commonwealth burials of the First World War. There is also 1 French burial and 1 non war service burial here.

The extension was designed by Sir Reginald Blomfield.

Fred is also commemorated on the following memorials:

St Helens Civic Memorial 

Newton-Le-Willows,

St Helens Parish Church which was formerly St Mary's Church but was destroyed by fire in December 1916, When it was finally reopened as a Church in 1926 it became known as St Helens Parish Church.  

Earlestown Civic Memorial.

Grateful thanks are extended to St Helens Roll of Honour website for their kind permission to use the photograph of Fred.  

We currently have no further information on Fred Gilvray. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.