Horace William Raynor
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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 don’t 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.
He enlisted at Derby on 9 September 1914 with the King’s Royal Rifle Corps; but subsequently transferred to 8th Bn Rifle Brigade; embarked for France 19 May 1915; admitted to No.17 Casualty Clearing Station on 6 November 1915 then transferred to No.13 General Hospital at Boulogne on 7 November 1915 and on 16 November 1915 invalided back to England suffering from gastric enteritis; returned to France 1 February 1916 with 5th Bn. Rifle Brigade; (presumably after leave in England) embarked from Devonport 29 September 1916 and disembarked at Salonika, Greece on 10 October 1916 and joined 4th Bn. Rifle Brigade on 17 October 1916; embarked for England on 12 November 1918; was on a train travelling back to England for leave when he had to be removed from the train and taken to a French Military Hospital where he died of influenza; buried at St Germain-au-Mont-d'Or Communal Cemetery Extension, Rhone, France.
His wife's brother, Henry Hempstead Yates, served in the Royal Navy as an ordinary seaman and was killed on 9 July 1917 when HMS Vanguard sank in Scapa Flow after an explosion. Death notice published 30th November 1918 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “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.” In memoriam notices published 26th November 1919 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “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 are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918 .
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