3231 Private Arthur William Ray – Bruthen Killed in Action 19 July 1916

….. in less than a year, all three brothers were killed in action

Sale born Arthur Ray didn’t worry about going back to his home town when he decided to enlist. His father Nicholas was the butcher at Sale and he and his wife Elizabeth had eleven children with nearly all of them being born in Sale. Presumably Arthur went to school there as did his siblings, including his brothers Herbert and Alex who also served in the war. On 19 July 1915, Arthur enlisted at Bruthen where, as an employee of the railway he was living and working at the time. His medical examination was conducted there as well. By March the next year he was in Egypt when he transferred to the ill-fated 59 th  Battalion and left Alexandria in June for Marseilles. He was killed in action on 19 July and buried at New Irish Farm Cemetery in France. In 1923 when his parents received his medals his father wrote back to Army Headquarters wife and I thank you sincerely for medals. Arthur was 27 years old and in less than a year all three brothers, Arthur, Herbert and Alex (known as Les) had been killed in action.