The Wartime Memories Project - The Great War

Those who Served - Surnames beginning with R.

Surnames Index


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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment

1206221

Dvr. Thomas Francis Rainer

British Army 103rd Brigade Royal Field Artillery

(d.5th October 1917)




238010

Capt. Rainey

British Army No. 16 Stationary Hospital Royal Army Medical Corps




233102

Pte. R. Rainey

British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers

from:Bedlington

R Rainey was wounded in Oct. 1916




1205413

Cpl. Robert Boyd Rainey

British Army 9th Btn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers

from:Newtownards, Co. Down.

(d.7th Jun 1917)




233103

Pte. T. Rainey

British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers




253200

Pte. W. Rains

British Army 6th Battalion Manchester Regiment

I bought a photo album of scenes of the 6th Battalion, Manchester Regiment in Egypt c1914-16 and one name in the photo collection is a Private W. Rains (having his hair cut). Possibly a Signaler?




219510

Pte. Finn Barr Rainsbury

British Army 20th Battalion Royal Fusiliers

from:Stanton Hill, Mansfield

(d.23rd July 1916)

Finn Barre Rainsbury was my Great Uncle. Prior to joining up, he was at Trinity College, Dublin, training to become a minister. He enlisted after receiving a white feather and died on 23rd July 1916; he was 21 years old.




251324

Pte. John Rainsbury

British Army 12th Battalion Manchester Regiment

from:Bradford, Manchester.

(d.26th Aug 1918)

John Rainsbury is buried at Adanac Military Cemetery near Miraumont, Somme. My Grandfather's older brother. Always in our hearts.




500644

Ernest Rainsforth

British Army 2/5th Btn. West Riding Regt

My Grandfather - Ernest Rainsforth, was badly injured but also survived and was repatriated to England from France with his bicep blown off and with a serious knee injury from sharpnel: whilst fighting with the 2/5th West Riding Regiment as the Germans pulled back from the Hindenberg Line in March 1917. I am lucky enough to have my Grandad's war discharge papers - discharged as being medically unfit for further war service - and the original telegram sent to his Mother advising her that Ernest had been wounded and admitted to hospital in London. I ache with sheer anguish for her when I read that telegram and know what his Mum must have felt at the time. My Grandad survived the war: met my Nan at Malden Hospital in Middlesex where she was nursing during WW1 and returned to his home town of Gainsbro with a beautiful new wife. Ernest lived until the age of 94. He never chose to speak to anyone about his experiences in France except to say to my younger brother - when my brother was a boy - that he laid on a stretcher in a field at a Clearing Station - gagging for a drink of water for over 24 hours and when he called the orderly for water the orderly said "shut-up Rainsforth, the bloke laid next to you has 16 bullits in him ". Grandad unrolled his shirt sleeve and showed my brother a massive intentation in his left arm where his bicep had been literally blown off.




118054

Pte. William "Twinny" Rainsforth

British Army 5th Btn. Lincoln Regt

from:Gainsbrough, Lincolnshire

I am researching my Family History and have found several very interesting stories about some of my male family members who fought so bravely in WW1. Some made it through WW1 - others were not so lucky. I have found it very harrowing and yet very rivetting to take a look at the parallel stories of the WW1 encounters of each of the four men that I have selected from my own Family History research and feel it worth writing in: so that other people can feel the impact of such a senseless war: as I have felt it myself. I am torn with the futility of war and yet have so much admiration for those who fought it. Born in an era after both World Wars: I feel that I owe it to all soldiers who fought in both conflicts, and to myself, to explore the inevitable outcomes and sacrifices of precious lives in war and yet to marvel at the bravery of those who so willingly engaged for King & Country at the certain risk of loosing their souls in a foreign land. In those days: men did as they were ordered to do without question and willingly. I believe we who follow owe it to them to remember them and to delve for their personal stories, as I have been doing of late. I hope that my discoveries about 4 of my soldier ancestors will be of interest to many of you and may set you along the course of investigating your own family members who made the same sacrifices and endured memories of similar experiences and who had to live with the consequences - for the remainder of their lives - as mine did. Who knows how they managed to live "normal" lives after such events?

There are 4 soldiers in particular whose very different stories I should like to relate, the first of whom is William Rainsforth. William was my Grandad's younger brother. He was born 14th February 1887 in Gainsborough, Lincs - the youngest son of John & Christania RAINSFORTH and one of eight children. In the 1901 census, William is listed living at home at 57 Ashcroft Road, Gainsborough, Lincs and is a grocer's assistant. Just like his 3 elder brothers, William was football mad and played for the local Working Men's Club: later playing and refereeing for Gainsbro Trinity - so he could run fast!!!!! Because William had twin older brothers: Ernest (my Granddad) and George who were locally each called "Twinny Rainsforth", William also inherited that same nickname even though he was not a twin himself. It seems if your name was RAINSFORTH and you lived in Gainsbro - you were automatically and fondly nick-named "Twinny". By 1907: William was married to Nellie Forrest and he had begun to have children of his own. At the time of going to war, he and Nellie had 3 young sons. William was there, as a machine gunner, on 13th October 1915 - that fateful day - when the 46th North Midland Division were ordered to go over the top and to take the Hohenzollern Redoubt. Less than half an hour into the attack - 1309 men lay dead, masacred by machine gun fire - 357 of them from Lincolnshire. News of this terrible slaughter was slow to filter through to the local townspeople of Gainsborough: although most knew that there had been a dreadful battle that day and many were anxiously awaiting news of their fathers, brothers and sons. As even today, Gainsborough people are community spirited so when one person received word - they rushed off to the local newspaper clutching their missive and allowed their letters from their own loved ones to be published in the local paper: to give others hope or just to try to make sense of what had happened in France to their boys on that day in October of 1915. William's wife received a letter at their home at 3 Willoughby Street, Gainsborough, Lincs from William quite soon after the battle and had the enormous relief of knowing that her man had survived the carnage and the heavy machine gun fire from the German defenders of the Hohenzollern Redoubt that day. In the edition of the Gainsbro News dated 22/10/1915 was William's harrowing published firsthand account transcribed as follows: "October 13th Gainsborough Will Always Remember Sad & Glorious Day for the 5th Lincolns Thrilling letter from Gainsborough Territorial I am safe and sound thank the Lord. For we have had one of the worst experiences we have ever had. I dare not tell you how many men we have lost, but it is awful to think about and I don't know what Gainsborough will think. How on earth I got through I don't know. We did real well. we took four lines of German trenches and captured a farmhouse, a big fortified position. When we got in the second line of of German trenches, two Germans came out of a dugout. I said "Hands up" and they dropped their rifles and cried for mercy. But I thought of my pals that had gone under and shot them both. I am not telling lies it is true, as if I had gone on they would have shot me, but I daresay someone will tell you about it. I cared for nothing and I don't know how I kept my nerves. Poor old--------. He said he would get killed before we went over the top and -------said I was to let the know if anything happened to him poor lad. He was the second to be shot down in his Comapny, so they will be able to get to him to bury him properly. Gainsborough will always remember the 13th October--- you don't know the half yet. The Band were pleased to see me get through all right. Six of us have been recommended for bravery on the field. We got our gun the farthest of any,and got it into action. We did mow then down. I was rushing over the open ground when two of my mates at the side of me were shot down. I think I have been very lucky but I put my trust in God. It was a treat to see us charge. Every man went over without a flinch. When we who were left came out of it we rode way in buses. They kept asking us who we were. When we said "5th Lincolns" you ought to have heard them cheer. We had taken a position the Regulars could not take, but we have suffered for it. Hope they will semd us home to dear old England after this. Good-bye and God bless till we meet again." William lived until the ripe old age of 86 dying in Gainsbro in 1973. No doubt he carried the memories of that day with him - and of his part in the battle - for the rest of his life? I expect that there may well be some German counterparts of mine now researching their own family history and just as anxious and curious to know who killed their Great Uncle or Grandfather at the Hohenzollern Redoubt that day? Well....William, by his own written admission, killed at least two such persons in that charge that day..... but what choice did he have?

The other 3 persons who I wish to mention were my Grandfather - Ernest Rainsforth, elder brother of William whose story I have told above - who was badly injured but also survived and was repatriated to England from France with his bicep blown off and with a serious knee injury from sharpnel: whilst fighting with the 2/5th West Riding Regiment as the Germans pulled back from the Hindenberg Line in March 1917. I am lucky enough to have my Grandad's war discharge papers - discharged as being medically unfit for further war service - and the original telegram sent to his Mother advising her that Ernest had been wounded and admitted to hospital in London. I ache with sheer anguish for her when I read that telegram and know what his Mum must have felt at the time. My Grandad survived the war: met my Nan at Malden Hospital in Middlesex where she was nursing during WW1 and returned to his home town of Gainsbro with a beautiful new wife. Ernest lived until the age of 94. He never chose to speak to anyone about his experiences in France except to say to my younger brother - when my brother was a boy - that he laid on a stretcher in a field at a Clearing Station - gagging for a drink of water for over 24 hours and when he called the orderly for water the orderly said "shut-up Rainsforth, the bloke laid next to you has 16 bullits in him ". Grandad unrolled his shirt sleeve and showed my brother a massive intentation in his left arm where his bicep had been literally blown off.

Then there is my Grandmother's Uncle Albert H Dean; an ambulance man from New Malden in Surrey who survived almost to the last day of the war only to die in the 10th Military Hospital in France of bronch-pneumonia, leaving a young and devoted widow named Mabel and two very young sons. Albert had asked his cousin to "look after Mabel and the boys" should anything happen to him. His cousin married Mabel and did take good care of his boys. I am in possession of Albert H Dean's original military death certificate and I was lucky enough to meet his 95 year old surviving son, Arthur Dean, a couple of years back who was able to describe the day that they received word that his father had died and was to be buried at Rouen. Arthur Dean still commemorates his father's life - all of these many years later - on Armistice Day. He cried when I was able to hand over a small Bible (which had been left to me amongst family papers and photos and other memorabilia) that had once belonged to his father when his father was a boy.

My final candidate is another ancestor named Robert Edward Ryder from Harefield in Middlesex. Robert was born in December 1895 in Harefield and served with 12th Battalion Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge Own) enlisting in 1914. He won the Victoria Cross for " most conspicuous bravery" at Theipval on September 25th 1916. Robert was just 20 years old when he found himself fighting to take Theipval, with all Officers wounded, dead or down. He single handedly charged a German trench with his lewis gun when, for want of leadership, the attack was flagging. When I discovered that Robert's very young wife had recently died of "consumption" (more likely of asbestosis because she had been working in a local asbestos factory near Harefield), it did make me wonder if Robert just "did not give a damn" since his lovely young Bride had just died so horribly? His VC is now in the Imperial War Museum. The quote with his medals says quite simply: " I don't know what came over me...normally...I wouldn't hurt a fly".

Just a story of 4 men. As William Rainsforth said in his letter in 1915 to his wife, Nellie, "Gainsborough will always remember 13th October"... and yet...I wonder just how many Gainsborough people alive and well today even know about this piece of history and think about the impact that it had on so many lives?




1171

William Rainsforth

Army Machine Gun Section 5th Lincolnshire Regiment

William RAINSFORTH is the 1st man 2nd row from the back - to the left in the Machine Gun Section of the 5th Lincolnshire Foreign Service Territorial Regiment - 13th October 1915 - before the battle to take Hohenzollern Redoubt.

This is also a poem (attached) that was published at the time in the local Gainsbrough newspaper in which William "Twinny" Rainsforth is mentioned.

Boys of the Old Brigade

The boys I’m going to write about,
Though not up to perfection,
I’m simply paying a tribute
To the veterans of our section.

Comprised of men from Gainsborough,
And also from Grimsby.
Some of the very finest men
That you could wish to see.

A year and half in different parts
They’ve stood the mud and the stench.
And though they’ve been through trying times,
They’ve never lost a trench.

There’s Twinny Rainsforth, Tommy Dann,
And also Billy Gunthorpe.
Three of the very best we’ve got,
Although one comes from Scunthorpe.

There’s Sergeant Duncan, Sergeant Holmes,
The Senior N.C.O’s.
You’ll always find them thereabouts
To guard against the foes.

And then we’ve two full corporals
Walt Jenkinson is one,
And then comes young Bert Holliday,
In French he’s simply bon.

There’s still a lot of splendid boys,
Too numerous to mention,
And I can tell you all of them.
Deserves an army pension.

At ___________ when they first went in
To do their little bit,
Up to their waist in water,
They were never known to quit.

They stuck it there for three long months.
Then someone an order sent
Saying we want these men at ___________,
To hold the salient.

Oh what a change from __________ boys,
Was _______ salient.
But they stuck like glue for fourteen weeks,
Before relief was sent.

And then came _________ offensive.
To that district they were trailed.
And they tried their hardest to succeed,
Where other men had failed.

They made a brilliant charge and though
So many were knocked out,
At last they gained a footing,
In Hohenzollern Redoubt.

At last the _________ came to relieve
And looked on them with pride,
For they knew without us telling them,
How many poor lads died.

Excepting once at ______________
And once at _______________
They were given, I am pleased to say,
The rest they’ve earned so well.

Early in the present year
They received a big surprise
They were booked to go to _____________-
That’s good, the boys all cried.

So oe’r the sea we went these good men,
Where many dangers lurk.
To take part in a new campaign.
And crush the mighty Turk.

I’ll say no more of these good boys,
But before they had the chance,
To have a go at the Sultan’s troops,
They were hurried back to France.

They once ran Territorial’s down,
But by the God Almighty,
A different tale you’ll hear them tell,
When we’ve won and got to Blighty.

By Private Charles Tear, 138th Brigade, M.G.C.




236235

Pte. William Gerald Rakestrow MID

British Army 1st Btn. Ox & Bucks Light Infantry

from:Heavitree, Devon, England

(d.3rd May 1916)




2144

Pte A C Ralph

British Army 19th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers

(d.3rd Nov 1917)

Ralph, A, C. Private, 57950, Killed in action on 3rd November 1917.

Buried in Ruisseau Farm Cemetery,Langemark-Poelkapelle, West-Vlaanderen,in grave A. 1.

From the 19th Btn Northumberland Fusiliers Roll of Honour.




250630

Pte. Ernest Ralphs

British Army Imperial Camel Corps

from:Shrewsbury

Ernest Ralphs joined the Shropshire Yeomanry with his younger brother Harold who was under age. He volunteered for the Camel Corps and ended in the Royal Hussars. Like so many he never discussed his experiences but laughingly told me that a nasty dark scar on his cheek was caused by riding into a palm tree on an out of control camel!




224533

Pte. William Henry Ralphs

1st Btn. Royal Warwickshire Regiment

from:Ludlow, Shropshire

William Ralphs was born in Tenbury Wells, Shropshire. William enlisted at St Pancras, Middlesex. (Formerly 82146, Army Cyclist Corps.) He was killed by enemy artillery east of Les Bouefs, aged 18.

He was the son of George Harry and Laura "Lal" Jane Ralphs (nee Penny), of 71 Corve Street, Ludlow, Shropshire. (George was an agent for Singer sewing machines.) They had six children: Frederick John Ralphs (b. 1896), William "Bill" Henry Ralphs (b. 1898), George Stanley Ralphs (b. 1899), Ernest Thomas Ralphs (b. 1901), Alice May Ralphs (b. 1907) and Edward Arthur Ralphs (b. 1909, d. 1911).

William is commemorated on a plaque in St Laurence Church, as well as at Thiepval.




224226

Pte. Herbert Leonard Ramm

British Army 9th Btn. Norfolk Regiment

from:Bale, Norfolk

(d.15th Sep 1916)




237227

Cmdr. Bertram Ramsay

Royal Navy HMS Broke

On 3rd of November 1918 the destroyer HMS Broke was escorting the hospital ship Princesse Elisabeth across the Channel. Owing to a signalling mix-up, they had a minor collision while entering Dover Harbour. No casualties. This date is outside the dates given above for this ship's service as a hospital ship, if she is the same one. A court of inquiry held the captain of HMS Broke, Cmdr Bertram Ramsay, to blame, which he bitterly resented.




1206065

David Mitchell Ramsay

British Army 2nd Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery

from:Dundee

In the photo David Ramsay is in the front row, sitting 3rd from the left.




226799

Pte. George Ramsay

British Army 1st Btn. Queen's Own Cameron Highlands

(d.11th March 1915)

Pte George Ramsay, aged 32, died of typhus pn 11th March 1915 during the outbreak at Wittenberg POW Camp. He is buried in Berlin South Western Cemetery, grave XIX.C.12.




224088

Lt. Keith Winton Ramsay

British Army 7th Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps

from:Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

(d.3rf May 1916)




464

Lt. L. A. Ramsay

Army 8th Btn. Durham Light Infantry




222988

2nd Lt. Norman Ramsay

British Army 16th Battalion Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)

from:Howletts, Bekesbourne or Ickham, Kent

(d.3rd Sep 1916)

Norman Ramsay 1869–1916 was the 12th child of pioneer Queensland grazier, politician and treasurer Robert Burnett Ramsay and his wife Margaret Cruickshank, Norman Ramsay was born in Queensland on 14 August 1869. Although the details are hazy, it seems that he first went to school in Queensland but was later sent to Glyngarth Preparatory School in England prior to going to Harrow in September 1884 for his secondary education. Like his elder brothers, he was a fine sportsman who excelled at almost every game he played, and was particularly good at football and cricket. By all accounts, he was also a crackshot with both rifle and shotgun, a fine polo player, a good tennis player, and a competent jockey.

In 1888, Norman returned from England to Queensland with his brother Douglas to work for their elder brothers Frank and Bob on the Darling Downs and around Winton. Another brother, Lauderdale, joined them in 1893. Their father, in partnership with the well-known Queensland pastoralist and politician Sir Arthur Hodgson, owned Eton Vale on the Darling Downs but had retired to England; and Frank and Bob, together with Sir Arthur’s son Edward, had bought Oondooroo Station near Winton in 1886.

In 1894, with a view to giving them a capital base, Robert Ramsay bought three 1/12 shares of Oondooroo from Frank and Bob for Lauderdale, Douglas and Norman. Thus was born the famous pastoral firm of Ramsay Bros. & Hodgson, which, some years after the premature death of Edward Hodgson in July 1896, grew to be one of the largest sheep producers in the world. Indeed, in response to a tenuous claim about an unnamed farmer in the USA, 'The Western Champion and General Advertiser' dated 9 October 1905 echoed the 'North Queensland Register' in saying that the Ramsay Bros. would, with a good season or two, “give the American a shaking for the title of biggest sheepfarmers in the worldâ€Â.

Details of Norman’s movements between 1888 and 1905 are not known. However, it’s known that, as Ramsay Bros. & Hodgson’s pastoral empire expanded, he was at different times manager or acting manager of Oondooroo, Elderslie, Charlotte Plains and Burleigh stations while his elder brothers Frank and Bob remained the prime movers in the Ramsay brothers’ business dealings. Often, Norman and his four brothers would fill in for each other when one or more of them went on holiday. Back then of course, a typical holiday entailed a trip to the home country, and would last at least six months.

Norman spent many years in and around Winton in far-west Queensland, and a couple of years on Bogunda Station at Prairie near Hughenden between 1905 and 1907. It’s clear from everything that has been written and said about him that, like his brothers, he was well liked and highly regarded. Even though he never married, he was affable and popular with women despite suffering for many years from neuralgia, a disorder of the trigeminal nerve that causes frequent and intense pain in the face. Unlike Frank and Bob who seemed to be comfortable in their own company, Norman appeared at times to hanker after the hustle and bustle of city life. To that end, he moved to Sydney in about 1907 and then, with his brother Douglas, moved back to England in 1910 to join their widowed father Robert, their elder brother Frank who had retired two years earlier, and their three surviving sisters, all of whom were living in or near Bekesbourne in Kent.

Norman was still in England when war broke out in 1914. Deeply patriotic to King and country, he enlisted into the British Army even though he was by then 45. At his age and with his wide-ranging experience of life and people management, he could reasonably have asked to be a commissioned officer immediately. Citing inexperience in military matters though, he signed on as a private in the Sportman’s Battalion in October 1914. In October 1915, he transferred to the 16th Battalion Rifle Brigade, part of the Prince Consort’s Own Rifle Regiment that had been formed in 1800 as an “experimental corps of riflemen to provide sharpshooters, scouts and skirmishersâ€Â, and was immediately promoted to 2nd.-lieutenant.

With his considerable experience as a crackshot in Queensland, Norman was surely a perfect fit for such a regiment. After military training at a number of military camps in England including Hursley Park, Aldershot and Witley Camp, Norman sailed from England to Le Havre on 8 March 1916 en route to the battle front in France.

After a short time at Blaringhem, and alongside soldiers of the Royal Sussex Regiment, Norman and his fellow soldiers of the 16th. Rifle Brigade were reportedly involved in heavy fighting near Richbourg l'Avoue on 16 June 1916. A precursor to the Battle of the Somme, Richbourg was planned as a diversionary action but was actually so bloody that it should perhaps be regarded as the first of the officially designated battles of the Somme.

On 3 September, while reconnoitering German trenches from ‘no man’s land’ during one of the many other battles of the Somme, he was killed by the enemy. The details of exactly how he died or where he was at the time are not known. Sadly, he was one of many thousands of soldiers who died in the Somme but have no known grave. His name though lives on in numerous places including on memorials in Winton and Cambooya in Queensland, in St. Peter's Church in Bekesbourne in Kent, and at Thiepval in France




1206614

Cptn. Stuart Ramsay DSO MID

British Army 8th Btn. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

from:Hampstead London

(d.2nd June 1917)

Stuart Ramsay born Bothwell, Lanark on 10th September 1887, son of William & Helen. Educated Glasgow High School, Pre-War he was an Accountant by trade. He went to New Zealand in 1913 and returned to England in 1915.

Gazetted 2nd Lieut. on 10 May 1915 he joined the Loyal North Lancashire Regt and promoted tp Lieut the following October. Twice MID and awarded DSO 1 August 1916 for 'Conspicuous Gallantry in action". He was promoted to Captain in June 1916 and killed in action on Messines Ridge on the 2nd of June 1917.




255100

Pte. William G. Ramsay

British Army 17th Btn. Royal Scots

from:130 Taylor St, Glasgow

(d.2nd Oct 1918)

William Ramsay was the son of James and Janet Ramsay of 130 Taylor St., Townhead, Glasgow. Third youngest of nine children John, James, Janet, Thomas, Isabella, Anne, William, Alexander and Robert. His brother James also died in WW1.




223106

Pte. Ernest Ramsbottom

British Army 8th (Ardwick) Btn. Manchester Regiment

(d.7th Aug 1915)




300172

Pte. James Ramsdale

British Army 18th Btn. Durham Light Infantry




465

Pte. Bertram Ramsden

Army 5th Btn. Durham Light Infantry




253541

Pte. James Ramsden

British Army 1st Btn. Manchester Regiment

from:Bolton, Greater Manchester

(d.6th Oct 1915)

I have copies of letters from my Great Uncle James Ramsden. Details on letter. are 2569 Pte J. Ramsden, No.1 Comp 1st Man Reg, No.3 Platoon, 3rd Lahore Div, France. The last one is dated Sept 22nd 1915, from France. Previously he was in Belgium (April 1915). Apart from this I am having difficulty finding any further information.

My granddaughter visited the war graves in France where she discovered that he was blown up exactly two weeks after the letter of 22nd September. We would like to know where he was commemorated




223793

Cpl. Percy Gordon Ramsden

British Army 17th Btn. Manchester Regiment

from:Prestwich

(d.23rd April 1917)

Percy Ramsden served with the 17th Btn. Manchester Regiment, he was killed at Arras in 1917.

I am the great-niece of two men from the same family who were killed in action at the Somme in 1916 and Arras in 1917. Their loss shadowed the lives of their immediate family, and I want to make sure that they are not forgotten.




233104

Cpl. Alexander Ramsey

British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers

from:Newcastle

(d.1st July 1916)

Alexander Ramsey is named on the Thiepval Memorial







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