Horace William Raynor
Barman (C. 1911) Traveller (Army Records 1914)
- Family History
- Military history
- Extra information
- Photographs
Horace William Rayner was the son of Joseph Raynor and Amanda Ellen Anthony who married at Nottingham in 1881. Their children included: Charles Henry (b.1881), Frederick Anthony (b.1883), Bernard George (b.1887), William Horace (b. 1891) and Harold Curtis (b.1893).
The Raynors lived at: Nottingham Road, Stapleford [C.1891]; 16 Colwick Street, Basford [C.1901]; Saracen’s Head, 237 Sherwood Street, Nottingham [C.1911].
The addresses given in his Army records for his parents were The Globe Sacheverell Street, Derby [1914] and 43 Sacheverell Street, Derby [1919] which may be same address. Joseph Raynor, was a butcher [C.1891]; a licensed victualler [C.1901] and a hotel manager [C.1911]. He died at Derby aged 56 in 1914. What subsequently happened to his widow is unclear.
1n 1911 Horace William Raynor was a live-in barman at the Welbeck Hotel 36 Milton Street, Nottingham. In 1913 he married Agnes Phoebe Yates at Nottingham. The couple do not appear to have had any children.
Army records gave his widow’s address as 5 Albert Avenue Bobbersmill [1919]. A later address given for Agnes Phoebe Raynor in the CWGC records was 6a Mitchell Street, Alfreton Road, Radford. In 1928 Agnes Phoebe Raynor married Alfred Smith at Nottingham. She died at Nottingham, aged 75, in 1965.
Horace enlisted at Derby on 9 September 1914 with the King’s Royal Rifle Corps; but subsequently transferred to 8th Bn. Rifle Brigade.
He embarked for France on 19 May 1915. However, he was admitted to No.17 Casualty Clearing Station on 6 November 1915 then transferred to No.13 General Hospital at Boulogne on 7 November 1915. On 16 November 1915 Horace was invalided to England suffering from gastric enteritis, returning to France 1 February 1916 with 5th Bn. Rifle Brigade, presumably after leave in England.
Horace embarked at Devonport on 29 September 1916 for BEF Mediterranean, disembarking Salonika, Greece, on 10 October 1916 and joined 4th Bn. Rifle Brigade on 17 October 1916. He served in Salonkia until 12 November 1918 (embarkation date).
Horace was travelling from France for home leave but was taken ill on the train and had to be admitted to a French Military Hospital where he died of influenza on 26 November 1918. He was buried at St Germain-au-Mont-d'Or Communal Cemetery Extension, Rhone, France.
CWGC history of cemetery: The village of St Germain-au-Mont-d'Or is about 14km from Lyon. 'The cemetery was begun in October 1917, and used by a Rest Camp and a small British Hospital until November 1919.' (www.cwgc.org)
Horace's brother-in-law, Henry Hempstead Yates, served in the Royal Navy (SS/7754 (Po) Ordinary Seaman) and was killed on 9 July 1917 when HMS Vanguard sank in Scapa Flow following an explosion. He is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. (See record on this Roll of Honour)
CWGC Additional information: Husband of Agnes Phoebe Raynor, of 6A, Mitchell St., Alfreton Rd., Nottingham.
CWGC headstone personal inscription: ' Peace with honour Wife Agnes'
Nottingham Evening Post, 'Roll of Honour', 3o November 1918: 'Raynor. On November 26th, of influenza, in France, while coming home from Salonika after 4 years and 3 months' service, Signaller Horace William Raynor, aged 27, dearly loved son of Ellen Raynor and the late Joseph Raynor, Derby, late of Nottingham. A bitter blow, a shock severe to part with one we loved so dear. From his broken-hearted mother and brothers Fred, Bernard, Harold, and sisters-in-law.'
Nottingham Evening Post, 'In Memoriam', 26 November 1919:
'Raynor. In loving memory of Pte. Horace William Raynor, died November 26th, 1918. To-day recalls sad memories. From loving wife and father-in-law.'
'Raynor. In loving memory of Horace Raynor, who died on his way home from Salonika, November 26th, 1918. We pictured him safely returning, and longed to clasp his hand, but God has postponed the meeting, till we meet in a better land. From his loving mother and brothers.'
Above courtesy Jim Grundy facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 .
Photo of Horace William Raynor
St Germain-au-Mont-d'Or Communal Cemetery Extension (www.cwgc.org)