GRAY, WILLIAM [SSNE 2549]

Surname

GRAY, GREY, GREIJ

First name

WILLIAM, WELEM

Title/rank

LT. COLONEL

Nationality

SCOT

Social status

OFFICER

Text source

William Grey/Gray was born in Scotland. He entered Swedish military service and first became a captain in 1618 as part of colonel Jesper Anderson's regiment in the royal Uppland regiment. This regiment was then merged with the Västmanland and Dalar regiments under colonel Åke Oxenstierna. In 1626 he became major in Uppland regiment. This is possibly the same William Grey noted as recruiting an infantry company in 1627. A captain "Greui" had a troop of men from Teuffell's regiment in January 1627. Grey commanded 80 German soldiers during Sweden's Livonian campaign in April 1627. That year he was stationed at Dirschau along with 400 men from James Duwall's [SSNE 1623]Norrland regiment. In 1629 he became lieutenant colonel in Västmanland regiment. That year he was noted as one of the officers providing relief troops for the Swedish fleet sailing toward Prussia. He was married to Brita Tott of the Swedish nobility. He had died by November 1630 as that year his widow approached the Riksrad for help. Possibly the same man as Major Grey listed in MR 1627/6-8. He was major and chief of a company of recruited infantry.

Sources: Swedish Riksarkiv, P. Sondén, Militärachefer i svenska arméen och deras skrivelser; Swedish Krigsarkiv, Muster Roll, 1622/4; 1623/2; 1624/1; 1625/2; 1626/9; 1627/7-9,11,14; 1629/1,12,13,15,17; 1630 DEAD; Svenska Riksrådets Protokoll, I, xxvii, and IV, pp.44, 48; Rikskansleren Axel Oxenstiernas skrifter och brefvexling, first series, III, pp.429 and 515; H.O. Prytz, Historiska Upplysningar om svenska och norska armeernas regementer och kårer jemte flottarna, II (Stockholm, 1868), p.368.

Service record

SWEDEN, JESPER ANDERSON'S UPPLAND REGIMENT

Arrived 1618-01-01, as CAPTAIN

Departed 1621-12-31, as CAPTAIN

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY

SWEDEN, AKE OXENSTIERNA

Arrived 1622-01-01, as CAPTAIN

Departed 1625-12-31, as CAPTAIN

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY

SWEDEN, UPPLAND REGIMENTS

Arrived 1625-01-01, as MAJOR

Departed 1626-12-31, as MAJOR

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY

STUART KINGDOMS, SWEDEN

Arrived 1627-01-01, as CAPTAIN

Departed 1627-12-31, as CAPTAIN

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY AND RECRUITER

SWEDEN, VASTMANLAND

Arrived 1629-01-01, as LT. COLONEL

Departed 1630-12-31, as LT. COLONEL

Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY