Notes
The Parish Council website (see References) is the source of the extra information and carries this biographical detail: 'Reginald George Gruby was born in Hull in 1895. In 1901 when Reginald was 6 he lived with his parents Herbert, a Collector of Fishery Statistics (34) and Eleanor (Nelly) (34) and his two brothers, Sidney 15, a Fish Merchants Clerk and Robert 13 and his two sisters Eleanor (12) and Mary just 1 month old.
In 1911 when Reginald was 16 he was living at 21 Woad Lane, Great Coates with his parents Herbert and Eleanor Gruby and his two brothers Sidney, 25 now a ‘Trawler Croness Clerk’ (sic) and Robert (23) now an Architects Assistant and his two sisters, Eleanor 22 and Mary Ellen 10, Reginald was working as a Dentists Apprentice.
Reginald enlisted in the 10th Battalion of the Lincolnshire Regiment (The Grimsby Chums) on the 21st September 1914 when he was 20. Private Reginald George Gruby sailed from Southampton on the 9th January 1916 and was killed in action less than seven weeks later on the 22nd February 1916 in Flanders, France and is buried in the Brewery Orchard Cemetery, Bois-Grenier, France.
The Great Coates Parish Magazine for April 1916 records
’We regret very much to have to record the death of Private Reginald Gruby, 10th Lincolns ‘the Chums’ February 22..When volunteering to take the place of a soldier late at night who had not turned up, he was shot’ he was a very keen soldier and was an excellent shot, but his early decease (sic) has prevented him making a name for himself in that line. Many letters of sympathy from officers and men have been received by his parents testifying to the respect and affection in which he was held. He was much devoted to the old Church at home in which he loved to worship. At his special request several of his favourite hymns have been sung in the Church since he went to France. He lies in the Bois de Grenery Cemetery with many who like him have given their lives for King and Country. We respect and honour such.’
In St Nicholas churchyard on the grave of his sister-in-law Eleanor who died in 1923 it records the death of both her husband, his brother Herbert (who had died in 1912) and of Reginald himself recording that he was killed in action.'