BRAYE, Bertram William Adrian Mellish Cousins

Bertram was born on the 9th of January 1882 in Newport to Adrien & Selina (nee COUSINS) BRAY. He was an experienced soldier, with the 1901 census placing him in Rawalpindi, Punjab India serving as a Private with the Royal Sussex Regiment.

Bertram, aged 39, died on the 23rd October 1918 in London, the cause of his death is not stated. He is buried beneath a Private Memorial in Section B Row 1 Grave 85 in Holybrook Cemetery in Southampton where there are a further 376 Commonwealth War Graves.

In December 1914, as part of the Railways Directorate, the Inland Water Transport & Docks Section was formed to deal with transportation along the canals & waterways in France & Belgium. It became a separate section in October 1915 & grew rapidly in size with its headquarters in Richborough Kent. Sappers operated in a variety of roles, & worked to maintain communication & transportation of food, supplies, ammunition & the evacuation of wounded. In 1916 its work was extended to Mesopotamia & in 1917 to Egypt & Salonika.