GRAY, Alastair Cameron

Alisstair Cameron Gray was born in 1898 in Dunedin, New Zealand to William Gray and Mary Gray nee Cameron, both born and raised in the Dunedin area. He was the younger brother of Clark Maxwell Gray who was killed in action at Fromelles in July 1916. William Gray worked his way into incresingly senior teaching roles in the Otago region until he undertook a B.A at the Otago University in 1894, followed by a M.A two years later. He then took on the role as Inspector of Schools in the Wanganui region from 1897 to 1902. In 1895 he married Mary Cameron in Dunedin. The family then moved to Wellington where William Gray took up the position as Principal of the Teacher's Training College in Wellington. We expect like his brother Clark, that Alistair attended the Terrace Primary School, Thornton, Wellington until 1911. The family then moved to Melbourne where William Gray became thePrincipal, Presbyterian Ladies College located at that time in Albert Street, East Melbourne. Alistair attended  Scotch College, Melbourne from 1912 to 1917. His occupation is listed as student when he enlisted on 13 April, 1917, aged 19 years and 5 months. Alistair had served as a Senior Cadet for 4 years at Scotch College.

On 9 November, 1917, Alistair, a Gunner, embarked from Melbourne on th HMAT Port Sydney A15, diembarking at Suez on 12 December the same year. By 22 December he was admitted to the 19th AGH in Taranto, then moved the UK for hospitalisation where he remained until 13 March 1918. Whilst in the UK he committed his first offence of several offences overstaying leave/being AWOL. On 13 April 1918 he sailed from Southhampton to France where he joined the 12th Army based near Roulles. By 21 Junee he was hospitalised again for a week then sent to the 2nd Army Rest Camp in France for 2 months. He rejoined the 47th Battalion mid August, disembarking from France to Folkestone on 10 November, 1918, where again he was admitted to hospital for a week prior to reporting t0 AIF Headquarters in London. During the next two months before sailing back to Australia mid March 1919 on the' Port Denison', Alistair was AWOL on several occasions accumulating 9 days docking of pay by the completion of his service.

On return to Melbourne, Alistair tained as an Architect. His first marriage was to Helen Margaret Outhwaite on 18 May, 1925 in Toorak. Helen was a well known female Australian tennis champion. They had one son. In 1931 electoral roles show Alistair living at 304 Albert Street, East Melbourne, occupation architect. By 1934 he was based in Townsville, then 1936 - 1943 he resided in Sydney. Letters in his service file seeking a replacement for his AIF badge that has been lost in Bulawayo, North Rhodesia in 1926, indicate he was working fro the Architectual Branch, Public Works Department, Treasury Building, Melbourne. At the same time Alistair was developing as a well know artist with works held today in numerous galleries across the globe. Primarily a water colourist, he studied under Harold Herbert and became Secretary of the Victorian Artist's Society in 1958. By 1949 he resided at 91 Sackville Street, Kew. In 1954 his second wife Jean Theresa Garroway (dressmaker) is living with him at this address where he remained until his death in 1972.