The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private J R Raynes

Photograph by "Naturstein"

Private John Reginald RAYNES, G/4674, 1st Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, died as a Prisoner of War in Germany, 10th April 1917.

Born 6th December 1894, Pembury, Kent, son of *John & **Emily Raynes.

* died age 72, 1915 March, Tonbridge, Kent Registration District. **died age 53, 1905 September Quarter, Tonbridge, Kent Registration District.

1911 Census - Bo Peep, Pembury, Kent - Harry N Raynes, head, age 34, married, grocer carman, worker, at home, born Pembury, Kent; Alice E Raynes, wife, age 36, married 8 years, no children, born Ashurst, Kent; Frederic N Raynes, brother, age 28, single, milkman, worker, at home, born Pembury, Kent; John R Raynes, brother, age 17, single, labourer on farm, worker, at home, born Pembury, Kent.

Enlisted Tonbridge, Kent, age 20 years & 352 days, height 5ft 6 inches. Resided Ivy Lodge Farm, Frant Forest, Tunbridge Wells, Sussex. Formerly milkman.

Home, 30th November 1914 to 1st December 1914; BEF, 22nd April 1915 to 10th April 1917.

30th November 1914, enlisted; 2nd December 1914, posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 9th December 1914, posted 3rd Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 27th January 1915, appointed unpaid Lance Corporal; 18th March 1915, appointed paid Lance Corporal; 22nd April 1915, posted BEF & 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 23rd April 1915, 5 Infantry Base Depot; 25th April 1915, joined Battalion In the Field; 15th May 1915, appointed Lance Corporal; 11th October 1915, deprived of Lance stripe; 20th March 1916, 14 Field Ambulance, bronchitis; 20th March 1916, to 42 Casualty Clearing Station, bronchitis; 27th March 1916, rejoined Battalion, "B" Company; 22nd July 1916, posted missing;

3rd August 1916, pre-printed postcard from Pte J R Raynes, I am a Prisoner of War and stationed at Dulmen Westf, Germany. Please send parcel.

14th June 1917, War Office received report of death from Hospital Inspector, Red Cross Committee, Coln, Deichmannhaus, Germany, died 10th April 1917 at 4.45pm, of Laryngeal phthisis, received the Holy Sacrament and died quiet and resigned surrounded by his comrades and the German nurse, he expressed no wish.

17th June 1917, Please could you tell me anything what is the matter with my brother Pte. J R Raynes No.4674, RWKent. He was taken prisoner of war on July 22 1916, as the last pcard we had from him in France was he was in hospital in Germany the card was dated the 24th February 1917 and then we has one written by someone else for him to say he was very ill and had been in bed 15 weeks that was dated the 4th April 1917 and said he was being moved shortly and as we have not heard since we are very anxious about him as we fear the worse and as I have already looked after him since he was 11 years old since his mother died until he joined the RWKent November 30 1914 and his father died since he has been in the army and me being his eldest brother received all the letters we send to his father information regarding him I should be very grateful, I am your obedient servant, Harry Raynes, Ivy Lodge Farm, Frant Forest, Tunbridge Wells, Sussex.

27th August 1919, Statement of Relatives, completed by brother Harry Nathan Raynes - Widow, none; Children, none; Father, none; Mother, none; Brothers - Harry N Raynes, age 42, my new address Chillmill Farm Cottages, Brenchley, Kent; Frederick Raynes, age 36, 15 Beach Street, Tunbridge Wells; Sisters - Emma S Raynes, age 32, Valetta Emsworth, Hampshire; Half Sister ? - Alice E Raynes, age 44, Chillmill Farm Cottages, Brenchley, Kent.

UK Army Register of Effects shows - Brothers - Harry N Raynes; Frederick N Raynes; Sisters - Jane Knight; Constance Smith; Fanny Hansford; Emma Raynes.

3rd June 1920, received by War Office, Death Certificate (translation) - No.531. Extract from the Death Registers of the Registry Office, Cologne III - In the year 1917, on the 11th April the attestation of death was inscribed in the Death Registers of the Registry Office, Cologne III, of John Raynes, English, Private, single, Aged 22, Protestant, who died on 10th April 1917 at 4.45pm at Cologne in the Fortress Hospital VI. - certified correct The Registrar signed for Rautenburg.

Buried at Cologne Southern Cemetery, VIII. B. 2., Germany. Commemorated Pembury War Memorial.

This page was last updated on 09-Aug-2021.