Born: 23 August 1892

Died: 22 May 1917

Buried:

Address: 76 Victoria Road, Saltaire

Parents: John

Spouse:

Siblings: Gilbert

Occupation: Driver Bros (Silsden)

Organisations/clubs:

Military

Rank: Sgt

Medals/awards:

Rolls of Honour: St Paul’s, Shipley; St Peter’s. Shipley

Children:

Regiment: Bradford Pals

Norman Knight Gregory

Norman Gregory was one of two brothers serving at the front. On 28 January 1916 the Shipley Times & Express published a letter he had written to a friend from Egypt. ‘It is the evening of Christmas Day and I wish I could just transport you to where I am. It is a real education and I cannot help thinking that after all it is but a dream. ‘We arrived here last Tuesday, December 21. I cannot tell you here I am but we are in tents on a big tract of sand. Sand ‘The sand is a comfortable bed yet a great nuisance. We have to tie cloths around our rifles and even then the sand gets through somehow or another. Naturally we eat a large amount of it too. ‘Our sea voyage was a trifle too

anxious and exciting for my liking. I was seasick for about three days in the Bay of Biscay and had a sort of throw-me- overboard feeling. ‘After I recovered I enjoyed the

life until we cut a 3,000 ton steamer in two. The accident occurred about midnight and it was anything but pleasant waking up to that. We rescued most of the people on board and I thought at first we were going down. Picturesque ‘Chased by submarines! How does that sound? It is a fact, I can assure you. We sent a shell into one of them and were rewarded by a torpedo which missed us by about ten yards, thank goodness. ‘We called at Malta on the way here but were not allowed to land. It looked picturesque enough and was my first scene of the Oriental. However, we are ready for anything and I feel in the best of health, which is a good thing. ‘It is winter here and the natives are

cold but for us it is as hot as a midsummer day; if anything the sun is more powerful so I don’t know what it will be like when summer does come. ‘Down near to where we are encamped it is a fascinating sight to see the open-air cafes etc. I have seen all kinds of nationalities but I don’t care much for the Arabs. ‘We are not allowed in the native quarter nor do I possess a desire to go there. I suppose we shall have a good deal to go through in the course of which I might enhance my knowledge and broaden my view of life. ‘We had a first class dinner on Christmas Day considering the circumstances. We had stew, Christmas pudding (cold), oranges, apples, dates and figs etc. – a right tuck-in. We are hoping that next Christmas will find us back at home.’