Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Gregory, a shepherd, born in the July quarter of 1849 in Shillington, Bedfordshire (son of Thomas Gregory, 1815-1881 and Anna Maria Brinklin (Brunklin/Brinkler), 1815-1888) and his wife Fanny Gregory (nee Clark, married on the 5th February 1870 in St. Peter’s Church, Arlesey, Bedfordshire), born in the January quarter of 1851, in Arlesey and baptised as Fanny Clarke on the 1st March 1851 in St. Peter’s Church, Arlesey (daughter of Henry Clarke, 1819 and Sarah Charles, 1820-1881). Johnny was born in the July quarter of 1887 in Little Bowden and was baptised on the 2nd December 1888 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Little Bowden, his siblings were, Edith Ada, born in the January quarter of 1883 and baptised on the 20th May 1883 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Little Bowden, Annie, born in the October quarter of 1879 and baptised on the 7th April 1880 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Little Bowden, Fanny, a factory worker, born on the 3rd July 1878 and baptised on the 7th April 1880 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Little Bowden and George, born in the January quarter of 1890 and baptised on the 4th October 1891 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Little Bowden, the latter four siblings were all born in Little Bowden and Frederick, a labourer, born on the 1st May 1875 in Arlesey, in April 1891 the family home was at Queen Street, Little Bowden.
John’s mother died, aged 48 years in the July quarter of 1899 in Market Harborough.
In March 1901 John was employed as an errand boy and was residing in the family home at 4, Mill Road, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, together with his widowed father, a carter and his siblings, Fanny, a corset trade machinist and Annie, a corset trade machinist.
In April 1911 John was employed as a labourer and was residing as a boarder at 12a, Bath Street, Market Harborough, together with his wife Jessie Gregory (nee Lawrence, married on the 24th April 1909 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Little Bowden), a factory worker, born on the 24th November 1885 in Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland and their son George, born on the 18th February 1910 in Little Bowden and baptised on the 22nd March 1910 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Little Bowden. This was the family home of Jessie’s parents, John Lawrence, a rubber trade worker, born 1861, his wife, Elizabeth Lawrence, born 1856 and children, John Lawrence, a rubber trade worker, born on the 31st May 1888 and William, a factory worker, born on the 6th January 1895, all the family were born in Edinburgh.
John and Jessie also had the following children, William, born on the 13th December 1913 and baptised on the 15th January 1914 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Little Bowden and Elizabeth, born on the 10th May 1915 and baptised on the 1st July 1915 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Little Bowden, both children were born in Little Bowden.
FAMILY NOTES: [I] John was officially recorded at birth and baptised as Johnny; the name John was used in all documents in the public domain relating to him after his birth.
[II] John also had the following siblings, Alfred George born in the April quarter of 1870 in Arlesey and baptised on the 8th May 1870 in St. Peter’s Church, Arlesey and Walter born in the July quarter of 1891 in Little Bowden and baptised on the 4th October 1891 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Little Bowden, Walter died aged 6 months, in February 1892 and was interred on the 14th February in the Churchyard of St. Nicholas, Little Bowden., also interred on the same day in the same grave was his two year old brother George.
John’s army service enlistment documents do not survive, therefore the currently available information pertaining to his military service has been obtained from the following sources: - 1921 HMSO Publication, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914 - 1919, WW1 Service Medal and Award Rolls, Army Registers of Soldiers’ Effects, WW1 Medal Rolls Index Cards, WW1 Pension Ledgers and Index Cards and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Registers.
Enlisted/Attested in Market Harborough into the Territorial Force. Date not known.
Joined. At Leicester. Date not known.
Posted. To Depot Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
Allotted the Regimental Service number 2322.
Posted. To 1/5th (Territorial Force) Bn. Leicestershire Regt. Pte. Date not known.
First entered the theatre of war in France. 28/2/15.
Entrained. At Berguette Station en route to Marseilles. 6/1/16.
Detrained. At Marseilles and marched to Camp Santi. 9/1/16.
Died from septicaemia, the result from injuries received in accident. Marseilles. 26/1/16.
Buried in Mazargues Cemetery Extension, Marseilles, Bouches-du-Rhone, France.
Nature of Death: Not war related in Marseilles, he fell between the cars of a tram which had just stopped and badly hurt his leg. He later died in hospital of septicaemia. A court of enquiry found his death to be accidental.
Awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In the event of his death, John nominated his wife Jessie Gregory as his sole legatee.
The War Diary records: 27 Jan-16 - MARSEILLES. Usual parades. No. 2322 Private J. GREGORY having died in hospital as a result of an accident was buried today.
On Friday 11th, February 1916, The Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury published the following article on page 7, under the heading. – LITTLE BOWDEN. – Priv. J. Gregory, of 6, Scotland-road, Little Bowden, who was in the 5th Leicester’s (Territorials), is reported to have succumbed in a French hospital as the result of a fall from a train. He was very badly injured, and one of his legs had to be amputated. He died subsequently from shock. Priv. Gregory was wounded in action early last year, but recovered and took his place in the firing line again.
On the 2nd August 1917, John’s widow Jessie, of 21, Scotland Road, Little Bowden, Market Harborough, Leicestershire was awarded a weekly Army Dependant’s Pension of twenty shillings and six pence for herself and her three children, payable from the 10th April 1916. After further reconsideration by the Parliamentary Secretary, on the 2nd May 1917 it was decided that a full pension should be granted under article II Paper 224/17, increasing the pension to twenty-six shilling and three pence from the 4th April 1917.
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