Frederick William Wray CMG CBE (1864 - 1943)

Born 29 Sep 1864 in Taradale, Victoria (Australia)

Ancestors

Husband of Henrietta Olive Elizabeth (Catford) Wray — married 1902 in Victoria, Australia

Died 18 Nov 1943 at age 79 in Sandringham, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Frederick William Wray

Frederick Wray CMG CBE is Notable.

Reverend Frederick William Wray CMG CBE was born on 29th September 1864 in Taradale, Victoria (Australia). He was sixth son of English-born Robert Mackie Wray, clerk, and his Irish wife Anne Bury.^[1] Educated near Castlemaine, at fourteen Fred joined the Victorian Volunteer Force and later the militia, serving a total of seven years.^[2]

Frederick was an Anglican minister

He was an undergraduate at Trinity College, University of Melbourne, in 1889-90 and decided to study for the Anglican ministry. He was made deacon in 1894 and ordained priest on 22nd December 1895. He was minister at Dookie (1894-96) and Euroa (1896-1900).^[2]

Frederick Wray CMG CBE is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Victorian Military Force 1897-1901

On 4th June 1897, Frederick was commissioned as a chaplain in the Victoria Military Force, in which capacity he served in the Second Boer War with the 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles. The unit saw action in the Cape Colony, Orange River Colony and the Transvaal, then returned to Melbourne in December.^[3] Described as 182 cm tall (6 ft) and an accomplished rower, marksman and Australian Rules footballer, Frederick displayed the essence of a 'muscular Christian'. Nevertheless, he was struck down with two bouts of enteric fever and his return to Australia was delayed until mid-1901.^[4] He was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with six Clasps. He resumed parish work, first at St Cuthbert's Yarrawonga (1902-13) and then at Rushworth, retaining his military appointment and gaining promotion to Chaplain 2nd class in 1912.^[2]

Frederick married Henrietta Catford in 1902 in Christ Church, Hawthorn, Victoria.^[5] The couple had five children:

1. Frieda Wray (1903-)
2. Harold Wray (1904-78)
3. Frederick Wray (1908-64)
4. Dora Wray (1911-) married surname Lamont
5. Marjorie Wray (1913-)
   

   Frederick Wray CMG CBE is an Anzac who served in World War One.

In 1915, at Gallipoli with the Australian Imperial Force, Wray was described in a letter home by one soldier as 'a regular old soldier, having been chaplain through the Boer War. He was both fearless and wise ... walk about the trenches encouraging the men by his cheerful conversation ... was known for the number of things he could do without'.^[4] He had been commissioned once more as a chaplain on 1st December 1914 and sailed for Egypt three weeks later. Allocated to the 4th Brigade, with particular responsibility for the 13th Australian Infantry Battalion, he 'slipped ashore' at Gallipoli early on 26th April 1915, despite orders forbidding non-combatants from so doing. Suffering from enteritis in August, he was successively taken to Malta, England and finally to Rushworth. For his service at Gallipoli he was Mentioned in Despatches and appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG). Rejoining the 4th Brigade in Egypt in March 1916, Wray accompanied the 13th Battalion on operations in the desert and was again Mentioned in Despatches. In June, the brigade transferred to the Western Front, taking part in the battles of Pozières and Mouquet Farm in August. Posted in December as staff chaplain to AIF Administrative Headquarters, London, he was appointed Senior Chaplain early in 1917. He was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) on 3rd June 1919^[6] and returned to Australia on 22nd August.^[7] He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, War Medal, and Victory Medal for his service in his second war.

Returning to civilian life, in 1920 Wray was appointed canon of Holy Trinity Cathedral, Wangaratta, and in 1928 rector of that parish. Erect and square-shouldered, he kept his soldierly bearing and traversed the Wangaratta area on foot or on a bicycle, never having learned to drive an automobile.^[2]

In 1935, the couple retired to Sandringham, in the south-eastern bayside suburbs of Melbourne.^[2]

Predeceased by his wife in 1941, he passed away on 18th November 1943 at his home at Sandringham and is buried in the new Cheltenham Cemetery.^[8] He was survived by two sons and three daughters.

Sources

1. ↑ Victoria Birth Index #25219/1864
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Dexter, David. Wray, Frederick William (1864–1943), Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, published first in hardcopy 1990; accessed online 3 Nov 2019
3. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Chaplain Frederick William Wray; accessed 3 Nov 2019
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Gladwin, Michael. "Captains of the Soul: A History of Australian Army Chaplains". Big Sky Publications, Newport NSW, 2013. ISBN 978-1-922132-52-9.
5. ↑ Victoria Marriage Index #2657/1902
6. ↑ Australian War Memorial honours and awards: CBE; accessed 3 Nov 2019
7. ↑ Australian War Memorial nominal roll: Lieutenant Colonel Frederick William Wray; accessed 3 Nov 2019
8. ↑ Victoria Death Index #12621/1943