Gray, Harold James

Black and white photocopies of typed extracts from three letters written by 7150 Lance Corporal (L/Cpl) Harold James Gray who served with the 8th Battalion AIF during 1916 and 1917. The extracts are from letters dated 23 September 1917, 12 October 1917 and 31 October 1917. L/Cpl Gray has written with much detail describing particularly the first and second battles in which he was involved. He also makes much mention of the muddy conditions, '...by cripes I hate mud far more than shells' (31.10.1917), laying duckboards, and clothing issued. In the final extract provided, L/Cpl Gray writes 'I am now looking forward to a much happier Xmas than that we spent last year...', however he was later killed in action in Belgium on 17 December 1917. The origin of the original handwritten letters, original typed letters, as well as the person who typed the extracts, is not known.

LCpl Gray was the amateur bantam weight champion for Victoria in 1908 and 1909, he retired for four years and re-entered the boxing field and became the runner up champion for Victoria in 1912.