Major G L S Ray

George Ray was born in May 1868, the son of Surgeon Colonel Sidney Ray of Milton-next-Sittingbourne in Kent. Educated at Wellington, he entered the Northumberland Fusiliers in Sep 1887. He was a lieutenant in Oct 1890 and a captain and adjutant in Dec 1895. He served in Kitchener's army in the Sudan in 1898 and was at the battle of Khartoum where he gained distinction, being mentioned in despatches and receiving a brevet of major. His medals are the Queen's Sudan Medal and the Khedives Sudan Medal with clasp. Also in 1898 he was in Crete with the 1st Battalion.
In the Boer War he was assistant correspondent for the Times, serving in the Kimberley Relief Column under Lord Methuen. At Magersfontein on 11th Dec 1899 he was killed while fighting alongside mounted Infantry to prevent the Boers making a flanking movement. His action was written about by Arthur Conan Doyle.

Soldiers | Regimental details