A CLASSIC LEICESTER'S "HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT"
1914-15 "CASUALTY" TRIO.
To: 2351 Pte W. GRAYSON 1/4th Leicestershire Regt.
KILLED-IN-ACTION. 13th OCTOBER 1915.
With photo & full papers.

[BIOGRAPHY]
One of three brothers, William Grayson was born in about 1886 in Middlesex to a Jeannie Faulkenor ( previously Thomas ) late of 78 Marlborough Road / Bowes Road, London. His own father a 'Mr Thomas' had died when William was three. But at just 4 years old William was adopted by a Mr Robert Grayson of "Emleyton" 14 Glenfield Road, Leicester, who's name he then took. Having already received William's medal trio, Mr Grayson is seen writing a letter to the officer in charge of records at Litchfield in which he describes his claim for the plaque & scroll to his adopted son. In the letter it interestingly states that after 20 years in the Grayson household William had emigrated to Canada in 1910 at about the age of 24. At the outbreak of war, then aged 28 he had then returned to Leicester in his wish to join the local regiment. William arrived in France with the Leicesters on 2nd March 1915 and was sadly killed in action just seven & a half months later.
From the paperwork included it's obvious that the plaque & scroll never arrived with mr Grayson as they were sent to and signed for by his birth mother who by this time had remarried a Mr Faulkenor and had produced a further son by the name of Arthur Hersman Faulkenor. Thus the late William Grayson, in addition to his two natural brothers,Richard Edward & Frederick Llewelyn Thomas, had a half sibling, Arthur, all of whom were living in London.

WILLIAM GRAYSON entered France on 2nd March 1915

[THE STORMING OF THE HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT...LOOS]
(LEICESTER's SADDEST DAY)

The Attack by the 46th North Midland Division on the Hohenzollern Redoubt on 13th October 1915 was a terrible blood bath. The shocking results were that the 4th Leicesters had lost every one of their officers who were killed or wounded. Out of the 650 men who attacked that day, 480 were killed or wounded. The situation was made worse as the hand grenades and other bombs which were delivered prior to the attack were found to be of the wrong types and in poor condition.

It will always be remembered in Leicester as the city's blackest day. The 46th Division lost 3,700 men killed and wounded in just a few dreadful hours in the attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt.

It was the most heavily defended German position in the Loos sector. Ingeniously constructed by the Germans fortifying a small hillock which protruded out from their front line trench system, it provided viciously effective enfilade fire across the battlefield.

MAP OF THE BATTLE OF THE HOHENZOLLERN REDOUBT.
The Redoubt had already been attacked on three previous occasions, firstly on the 25th September by the 9th Scottish Division. Although the attack was initially successful, German reinforcements drove the Scots out with horrendous casualties, some battalions were reduced to less than 50 men, and many young officers were killed.

Towards the end of the Battle of Loos, General Haig gave orders for the 46th Division to yet attack the Redoubt. Although the 46th had spent the last six months in the Ypres Salient, this was to be their first attack. For many officers and soldiers it would also be their last.

The men comprising the Division were the Lincolns and Leicesters, Sherwood Foresters and the North and South Staffordshire Regiment. All were Volunteer territorial soldiers. The Monmouths were on the Pioneer Battalion who also fought later.

The attack was set for the 13th October, zero hour being 2pm. The first wave was to comprise the 4th Battalion Leicesters, 5th Battalion Lincolns and the Staffordshire Regiment. William Grayson was in the first wave.

At 12 noon the Royal Artillery started its bombardment of the Redoubt and the adjoining trench system. At 1pm gas and smoke were released to conceal our movements. The gas caused a lot of problems for our own troops due to gusting winds that blew back some of the gas.

At 2pm, zero hour, the whistles blew and the three assault Battalions were clambering out of the trenches to form up for the attack. They were met with heavy machine gun fire from several points which quickly cut into the attacking Battalions, Colonel Martin, the Leicesters Commanding Officer was badly wounded in the knee climbing over the parapet but bravely stayed on conducting the Leicesters attack throughout the battle.

Very heavy fighting in the trenches with hand to hand fighting and bombing carried on for several hours. Many great acts of bravery were carried out during the attack, many to be unrecorded. By 3.30pm the attack was pretty well over, but several pockets of men stayed on until they ran out of ammunition and grenades.

The charge of the 4th Leicesters was later described by a Guards Officer as "the finest attack he had ever seen".

The result was the 4th Leicesters had lost every Officer, killed or wounded and out of the 650 who attacked that day, 480 were killed or wounded.


WILLIAM GRAYSON HAS NO KNOWN GRAVE & IS REMEMBERED WITH ETERNAL HONOUR ON THE LOOS MEMORIAL, PAS DE CALAIS.















A SERIOUSLY DESIRABLE GROUP FOR A LEICESTER COLLECTOR.

Medals are 'Mint' with original ribbons and are complete with rare surviving service papers and an original uniformed portrait photo. Also the two original medal issue letters are present.

SOLD