Military History

Greay enlisted with the 7th Reinf. 11th Bn. then transferred to the 28th Bn. 14.5 1915.
Embarked Fremantle per HMAT ‘Ascanius’ A11 for Egypt 29.6.1915.
Roll Rank Private.
Roll Unit 7th Infantry Bde., 28th Bn. ‘C’ Coy. AIF.
Greay disembarked at Alexandria July 1915 with the 28th Bn. He spent 2 months training in Egypt before proceeding to Alexandria, joining the MEF and embarking for Gallipoli per HT ‘Invernia’ 4.9.1915. Greay became sick with tonsillitis and was transferred to the HS ‘Formosa’ from ANZAC 11.10.1915. He was admitted to St. Elmo Hospital in Malta 15.10.1915, then transferred to the Ghain Tuffika Convalescent Camp on Malta 15.11.1915. Greay embarked per the HS ‘Escequibo’ in Egypt and admitted to the 2nd Auxiliary Hospital in Heliopolis with a cardiac condition and pneumonia 11.1.1916. Greay was transferred to a convalescent depot in Heliopolis. He returned to duty at Moascar 6.3.1916. Gray entrained to Alexandria, joined the BEF and embarked for France 16.3.1916. He disembarked at Marseilles 21.3.1916. The 28th Bn. as part of the 7th Bde, proceeded to the Western Front. Their first major engagement occurred at Pozieres in July and August 1916. (AWM 28th Bn. ) Greay was reported missing in the battle on 29th July 1916.  He died at the same battle and on the same day as his brother. The Court of Enquiry determined he was KIA on 29.7.1916 at Pozieres, France.
No burial site was located. Greay is commemorated at the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux Area, Picardie, France.
Final Rank Private 28th Bn. AIF.
Medical Condition Dec’d, KIA.
Awards and Medals 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Notes Both Greay and his older brother enlisted with the 11^th Battalion, transferred to the 28^th Battalion and were in the same'C' Company . They embarked on the same ship from Fremantle  to Egypt. They both died at Pozieres on 29.7.1916
AWM Embarkation Rolls record his Christian name incorrectly as Sanson.

Their shared obituary read
‘Not dead to those that love them
Not lost, but gone before.
They live with as in memory still,
And will forever more.’
(West Australian Newspaper In Memoriam 28.7.1917)

Photo The Sun 15.4.1917 p6
           HMAT 'Ascanius' 1914. Photographer E.L. Mitchell, photograph source AWM H16157
           Memorial to the Australian soldiers and officers who fell at Mouquet Farm and Pozieres 1916. Photographer unknown. Photograph source AWM P039001
           Villers-Bretonneux Australian Memorial, dedicated in 1938. Photographer unknown, photograph source H17454

Information Source
AWM H16157. HMAT 'Ascanius' 1914. Photographer E.L. Mitchell, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM P039001. Memorial to the Australian soldiers and officers who fell at Mouquet Farm and Pozieres 1916. Photographer unknown. Photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM  H17454. Villers-Bretonneux Australian Memorial, dedicated in 1938. Photographer unknown, photograph sourced from the Pictorial Collection of the Australian War Memorial
AWM Embarkation Rolls Sanson Greay
AWM Roll of Honour Samson Greay
AWM Red Cross Files- Samson Greay
AWM 28th Bn
NAA: B2455, Greay S
The Sun
Wise, H. and Co. Western Australian Post Office Directories. SLWA

61 East Street Guildford. WA.

 

Associated Images