Francis Patrick Bray was, on March 23rd, 1918, reported as ‘missing’ and was subsequently ‘presumed killed.’ At the date of his presumed death he held the rank of Major in the Royal Engineers, and he had been awarded the Military Cross for service in the field. He was 42 years of age.
From January, 1898, he was for about 5½ years with the North Mount Lyell Mining & Railway Co., Tasmania, in charge of various departments, and on the amalgamation of that company with the Mount Lyell Co. he accepted an appointment with the Dairy Farm Copper & Gold Mining Co. in California, where he had charge of construction work and later superintended the running of mill and cyanide plant. For 12 months from May, 1905, he had charge of the stamp mill, electric plant and other construction work at the Southern Belle Mines, also in California. In October, 1906, he was appointed manager of the Peters Gully Gold Mine, near Bendigo, Australia, with full charge of all operations and administration.
In January, 1908, Mr. Bray was elected a Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining Engineers and in the following month he was appointed by the Government of Victoria to represent their exhibits of mines and minerals at the Franco-British Exhibition in London.
In 1909, he transferred his activities to the Gold Coast Colony, where he was successively mine-manager of the Taquah Mining & Exploration Co. and the Abosso Gold Mining Co., and subsequently general superintendent and general manager for the West African Trust, Ltd.
In 1913, while on leave, he made a trip to Australia and Tasmania, and on the outbreak of war he joined H.M. Forces.
Mr. Bray was elected an Associate of the Institution in 1909.
Vol. 29, Trans I.M.M. 1919-20, pp. 419-20
