Roll of Honour – Sussex – Lancing
Harold Dray was born at Canterbury Kent on 22nd January 1913 to parents Elizabeth and Harold. Harold senior worked in the stores at Southern Railway in Ashford – at 16 years old Harold junior started a 5-year apprenticeship there and at 21 years old became a fully qualified “coach trimmer”.
The carriage-works at Ashford was closed and all railway carriage construction was concentrated at Lancing West Sussex. Approximately 500 men transferred to work at the Lancing carriage-works. Harold in his early 20’s relocated from Ashford to Lancing sometime between 1934 and 1937 going to lodge with family at Shoreham-by-sea.
Harold met local girl Winifred Lilian Mockford and they married at St Michael & All Angels Church in Lancing on Saturday 27th March 1937. Winifred [Wyn] was born in Sussex on 27th August 1916. She had been working “in service” as a housekeeper in Maidstone – perhaps she had met Harold while she was living in Kent. Harold and Wyn began their married life in a property called “Lido Villas” on the sea-front at South Street Lancing. Their first child, Linda Mary was born on 26th March 1941.
In the early morning of Friday 25th April 1941 a German plane, being chased from London by the RAF jettisoned a bomb before flying out to sea. It was a direct hit on Lido Villas and reduced the property to rubble. Wyn was in bed, baby Linda was in the cot and Harold was in the bathroom getting ready to go to work at Lancing carriage-works. Wyn threw herself on top of the cot; she and the baby were rescued uninjured and taken to neighbours at The Three Horseshoes pub next door to keep them safe and warm. Harold was seriously injured and taken to hospital in Worthing.
The German plane was shot down. The pilot survived and was rescued from the sea near Worthing Pier and taken prisoner.
Harold and Wyn were eventually housed in a bungalow in Lancing Park and their second child Sylvia Jean was born on 28th January 1943.
Harold was “called up” to The Royal Army Service Corps [General Transport] and was posted on Thursday 5th March 1942 for training at Beacon Barracks, Bulford Wiltshire.
The Army paid an allowance to Wyn and the children as his dependants.
Harold was part of the Allied Expeditionary Force which landed on the beaches in France in June 1944. He was fatally wounded on DDay by shrapnel to his left side and both legs and he died on 7th June 1944 at a casualty evacuation centre on the French beach. Wyn received confirmation that Harold was “missing in action” but confirmation of his death did not come until October. As soon as that notification was given, the financial allowance paid to her and the children ceased.
In the family archives there are three letters – written in pencil – to Wyn from Private C.H. Bennett who had been a great friend of Harold’s and had tried to find him when he was wounded. Private Bennett’s letters indicate that Harold [Hal to his mates] was very popular and well-liked by his comrades. Private Bennett survived the war and returned to Scotland but he made a trip down to Lancing to visit Wyn and return Harold’s identification dog-tags to her. Private Bennett told Wyn that overnight on 6th June 1944 the casualty evacuation centre had been bombed and all nursing staff and patients had been killed.
Without financial support, Wyn found paid employment making and packing “chaff” which was used as radar counter-measures by British warplanes. Wyn had to send her young daughters to an orphanage. Linda at 3½ years old and Sylvia aged 18 months were placed in the care of The Southern Railways Orphanage at Woking Surrey. The Woking Orphanage accommodated 150 children whose fathers had died during their employment on the railways. The building latterly became part of “Woking Homes” a home for retired railway and transport personnel and their spouses.
In July 1947 Wyn re-married. Reginald James Shorter [Reg] was a locksmith at Lancing carriage-works. He had relocated from the Ashford carriage-works and he had worked alongside Harold. Reg wasn’t able to join the Regular Army due to his poor eyesight but he did serve with the local Home Guard throughout the war. Reg and Wyn immediately brought the girls out of the orphanage and in August 1947 they became a family. Linda aged 6½ years joined the Lancing Junior School and Sylvia joined Lancing Infants School.
Reg worked for Lancing Carriage Works until it closed in the 1960s and he subsequently trained as a carpenter at Beamish on Shoreham Harbour until he retired.
Reg and Wyn lived in the bungalow at Lancing Park. Reg died in 1986. Wyn sold the bungalow in 1995 and retired to live in Ireland alongside her daughter Linda. Wyn died in Ireland 2009. Linda didn’t have children but Sylvia had two children [Sharon and Joanne]. Sylvia died in 2018. Linda, is now aged 83 and living in Staffordshire. Linda visited Lancing with Sharon during Remembrance in November 2024 to take part in a memorial service at Lancing Station and to lay a wreath in memory of her father Harold whose name is inscribed on the war memorial. Sharon has vowed never to forget the service and sacrifice of the grandfather she never knew – Harold Dray.
