Ward M. Bray
Agency patch
Patrolman

Ward M. Bray

Boston Police Department — Roxbury Crossing, MA
Accident Veteran
End of Watch April 14, 1921
Age 27
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
The Vigil Panel 40 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Patrolman Ward Bray was killed when his police motorcycle was struck by a commercial vehicle while he was on patrol near the intersection of Centre Street and Walter Street. He was driving a motorcycle with a sidecar at the time of the crash. The other driver was arrested on a charge of manslaughter. Patrolman Bray was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI and had served with the Boston Police Department for two years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and mother.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-MA-027A1D23
Stewardship
Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw
April 2, 2026
Last updated
July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Bray gave the Boston Police Department 2 years.
Thank you for your service to the Roxbury Crossing community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Location Roxbury Crossing, MA
Platform Identity bpd.suffolk.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 14, 1921
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 27
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Ward M. Bray served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman Ward M. Bray is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MA, 158 of 469 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.7 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At Boston Police Department, 31 of 106 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 29.2% of this agency's fallen.

Boston Police Department
31
of 106 officers
29.2% Accident
MA — Statewide
158
of 469 officers
33.7% Accident
Nationwide
10,088
of 32,508 officers
31% Accident

National Cause Distribution

How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Ward M. Bray's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
17,623 (54.2%)
Accident
10,088 (31%)
Illness
2,974 (9.1%)
Cardiac
1,306 (4%)
Undetermined
260 (0.8%)
Suicide
256 (0.8%)
vehicular
1 (0%)

How Ward M. Bray Compares

Age at End of Watch
27
This officer
Avg for Accident: 38.1 years
Years of Service
2
This officer
Avg for Accident: 9.1 years

When Accident Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. Ward M. Bray is highlighted in Apr.

Jan
820
Feb
730
Mar
748
Apr
707
May
847
Jun
795
Jul
897
Aug
937
Sep
913
Oct
925
Nov
872
Dec
897

Incident Location