Biography of Battery Serjeant Major William Edward Gay (545) W.O.II
6th Seige Battery Royal Garrison Artillery Regiment
Died 17th June 1915

Soldier

  • Name: William Edward Gay
  • Date of birth: 1874
  • Place of Birth: Langtoft, Lincolnshire, England
  • Date of Birth Registration: October – December 1874
  • Place of Birth Registration: Bourne, Lincolnshire, England

Father

  • Name: Daniel Gay
  • DOB: 1846
  • Place of Birth: Brimstone Hill, Cambridgeshire, England
  • Occupation: Farm labourer

Mother

  • Name: Jane Fowler
  • DOB: 1846
  • Place Of Birth: Langtoft, Lincolnshire, England
  • Marriage: 26th November 1866 Bourne, Lincolnshire, England

Siblings: (Name), (DOB), (POB)

  • Daniel Gay, 1867, Langtoft
  • John Gay, 1869, Tipps End
  • Isaac Gay, 1872, Langtoft
  • William Edward Gay, 1874, Langtoft
  • George Gay, 1880, Langtoft
  • James Gay, Newthorpe Common
  • Henry Gay, 1887, Langtoft

Census

  • 1881: William is living with his mother at Church Street, Langtoft, Lincolnshire.
  • 1891: William is living with his mother in Langtoft, Lincolnshire.
  • 1901: William can not be found.
  • 1911: William is living with his regiment on the HMT Rewa. The census gives him an age of 36 and he is listed as a serjeant

Relatives in services

  • William’s brother Henry also fought and was killed in WW1. Herny can be found on our page dedicated to the Langtoft War Memorial.

Wife

  • Name: Lily Sarah Lloyd
  • Date of birth: 11th September 1879
  • Place of Birth: Llantarnam, Monmouthshire, Wales

Marriage

  • Date of Marriage: 3rd September 1902
  • Place of Marriage: Llantarnam, Monmouthshire, Wales

Children

  • Lavinia Eveline May Gay, 1903, Cwmbran
  • Ivor Edward Gay, 1906, Rawal Pindi, India
  • Lily Gertrude Alexander Gay, Rawal Pindi, India
  • William Granville Gay, 1909, Cwmbran

Wife’s parents

  • Father: George Lloyd
  • Mother: Mary Davies

Newspaper Mentions

  • Sheffield Daily Telegraph Monday 12th July 1915
    N.C.O’S AND MEM
    [Except where otherwise stated, the names in these lists are to be read as Privates.]
    The following casualties amongst warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of the Expeditionary Force are reported from the Base under date 24th June:-
    KILLED
    R.G.A. Gay (545), Battery Segt.- Major W.

 

  • The Times Monday 12th July 1915
    The following casualties in the Expeditionary Force are reported from the Base under date June 24. All are privates unless otherwise described:
    KILLED
    R. GARRISON ARTILLERY: Gay, 545 Batty. Sgt-Maj. W.

Military Records

Attestation Papers

  • None found

Soldier’s Died In The Great War

  • These records show that Battery Serjeant Major William Gay, 545, Royal Garrison Artillery was killed in action on 17th June 1915 in the Western European Theatre in France and Flanders.

Pension Records

  • Available

Effects Left To

  • Widow Lily S

Medals

  • The British Medal
    The Victory Medal
    The 15 Star

Memorials

  • UK:
  • Langtoft, Roll of Honour in St Michael and All Angels Church

 

  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
  • In memory of Battery Serjeant Major W Gay, 545, 6th Siege Bty., Royal Garrison Artillery Regiment who died on 17 June 1915
  • Remembered with honour, Ypres Reservoir Cemetery

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

© Picture taken by South Lincolnshire War Memorials

Military Service Timeline

  • Enlisted in Stamford

 

  • This is ongoing research and will be posted when completed

Sources

  • WW1 Soldier’s Records (www.ancestry.co.uk)
  • Commonwealth War Graves Commission
  • British Newspaper Archive.