Herbert William Raynor

Private Herbert William Raynor, served with the 1/8th Battalion Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment, he was killed in action on 30th July 1915. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate. Enlisting at Kimberley, Nottinghamshire 15th December 1911. He went to France 2nd March 1915 and suffered bullet wounds to the neck 25th June 1915. He was killed in action, 30th July 1915, aged 21, during the German attack on the British positions at Hooge, Belgium,

Article published 9th August 1915 in the Nottingham Daily Express :- “THE FIFTEENTH. “Hucknall Soldier Killed while Carrying Ammunition. “News has been received of the death at the front of another Hucknall man, Herbert W. Rayner, [sic] son of Councillor F. W. Rayner, who resides at Belvoir-street. “Private Rayner, who was a Territorial, volunteered for active service. He went to France in early March. A month ago he was slightly wounded, a bullet grazing his neck, and on Thursday week he was hit by a rifle grenade whilst carrying ammunition. “The sad news was first conveyed by Private A. Taylor, of Hucknall, he and Rayner having arranged that if anything happened to either, the remaining one was to inform the family. “Tribute to the dead soldier was paid by the Corporal of the section, who in letter said that they in the machine-gun section “had lost a brave and valuable chum. He was always ready with a kind word and a helping hand for anyone.” “This brings the number of Hucknall men killed in action to fifteen.” Above article is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918