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Leonard Bray - help please

S

sheri

master brummie
Leonard Bray - my great uncle born 1883 in Worcester - his father was James Bray and his mother Selina.
I know he fought in the Boer War in 1901 when he was 19 - but where did he go then.
In 1914 he would have been about 32 so young enough to be in WW1. I can't find him anywhere after 1901.
Many thanks,
Sheri
 
i have been searching on 1911 but cant find leonard bray anywhere. found his parents and other members of family but cant find leonard.
 
Hi Shera, Thank you so much for looking - Uncle Len seems to have disappeared - I don't think he was killed in the Boer War - I wonder if he went back there after he was discharged but don't know when that was?
Another mystery!!!
Sheri
 
There is a Leonard Bray on 1911 but his year of birth is 1887 and place of birth is Swindon, Wiltshire.
He is listed as military overseas based at Pietermaritzburg,Natal, South Africa and the regiment is 1st Battalion Wiltshire. He is listed as single.

That's the nearest I could find:(

Suzanne
 
Hi smtr, thank you so much for looking - my Len was born in Worcester in 1883 - he was my gt uncle.
Sheri
 
There are over 20 men listed on Ancestry who served in WW1 with the name Leonard Bray. None have a Worcester connection. You need to try and find more info. Has anyone in the family got his service medals?

Terry
 
Hi Terry, thanks for your reply. I don't know anyone with his service medals. All I know is that he trained at Shorncliffe Camp at Folkestone. I have a letter written to my grandmother (his sister) from Zululand and a picture of him in Calvary uniform that my dad said was Uncle Len. He seems to have disappeared? I went to Kew and looked through their records - not there - I couldn't believe it. Perhaps I will have to go Kew again and ask them for help otherwise I may have to let him go.
Many thanks,
Sheri
 
You have probably already thought of this but are you sure Leonard is the name he always used? I tried to track hubbys great grandad's death in WW1 - couldn't find him anywhere then realised he had two names and was registered in the other one.
polly
 
Thanks Polly, no i didn't think about that but on the census he is Leonard and the letter to my man iis signed Len - and found him in 1901 at Shorncliffe barracks before he went to the Boer War and that's the last of him - disappeared!!
Thanks for the suggestion,
Sheri
 
Oh well worth a thought - it's a real mystery isn't it? Have you seen his birth certificate? Is there a chance he left the country? Passenger lists?
I am just clutching at straws now
polly
 
Hi Polly, yes it was a good thought and it is a mystery - no I haven't seen his birth certificate but I'm positive of his parents.
My only thought is that he left the country and no haven't seen passenger lists either. My only other thought is that he stayed in Africa after the Boer War especially as there is no record as far as I know of his discharge.
We plod on,
Sheri.
 
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