Remembering Private Frank Rayner (15th Battalion London Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles))

Panel of the Bishops Stortford War Memorial showing Edgar and Frank Rayner

(Castle Gardens, 10th November 2019)

Grave: Private Frank Rayner (15th Battalion London Regiment (The Prince of Wales's Own Civil Service Rifles))

Location: Holy Trinity Church 1914-1918 Memorial, Bishops Stortford/Somer Farm Cemetery, Wytschaete, Belgium

Date of Death: 14th October 1918

At around this time last year I posted on this site something about the fate of two brothers of the town, Edgar and Frank Rayner. Before The Great War swept them overseas to fight and ultimately die for King and Country, the Rayner family was well established in their grocery shop located at No. 1 Bartholomew Road, just a two minute walk from my front door.

With Edgar’s story told, I promised to follow up with that of Frank, but unfortunately up until now I haven’t got around to it. But what better day to do so than today, as I return rosy cheeked from a cold but sunny Castle Gardens and the annual Service of Remembrance.

Frank Rayner was a soldier 2/15th Battalion of The London Regiment (otherwise known as The Prince of Wales’s Own Civil Service Rifles). The designation reflected the occupations from which its ranks were drawn. It could be thought of a London-based white collar equivalent of the Pals Battalions that were raised en masse from friends and colleagues working in the northern industrial towns.

The nature of the war had changed significantly by 1918, moving on from the static trench warfare of 1915 to 1917 that is so associated with the Western Front in the minds of the British public. The last 12 months of the conflict saw rapid movement across ravaged land as each side tried to achieve the final decisive push that would end the war. A critical feature of the Flanders landscape in which the Civil Service Rifle’s found themselves returned to in the Summer of 1918 was the Messines Ridge which offered observational dominance over the low plains of the surrounding areas, that, in the earlier years of the war had been occupied by the Allies. The ridge was taken for great Allied loss in June 1917, only to change hands again in April 1918 during the German Spring Offensive that came close to delivering a Coup De Grace to the Allied forces. At the end of September, the infamous ridge was taken once again with relative ease as the German forces had retreated to the next formidable line of defence that was the River Lys.

In what was to be the last offensive action in which the Civil Service Rifles engaged, on 11th October the men of the 2/15th marched a grueling twelve miles to a position known as America Corner, not far north of Wervicq, which was at that time still in German hands. The area was horrendous, even by Western Front standards. The ground was soaked with gas and the terrain was littered with a great number of dead horses. A constant deluge of rain only added to the desolation of the area.

The day of the attack was set for the 14th October, allowing the fighting units 48 hours in which to familiarize themselves with the landscape through which they were expected to fight. As a 90th Brigade attack in the direction of the River Lys, with an objective of capturing the high ground beyond, Frank’s 2/15th Battalion (The Prince of Wales’s Own Civil Service Rifles) were to attack on the right of the Brigade front with the 2/14th Battalion (The London Scottish) on the left. The 2/16th Battalion (The Queen’s Westminster Rifles, Edgar’s battalion up until his death in 1916) was held in reserve.

Here, I leave it to the 2/15th Battalion War Diary to take up the detailed story:

‘ 12/10/18 Enemy artillery active. Orders received that 90 INF BDE would attack and capture the hostile position on a position of the front between WERVIK and GHELUWE on the 14th inst. This Btn to attack on the right, 2/14 LON REGT on the left, 2/16 LON REGT in reserve.

13/10/18 Final orders for attack issued. Dispositions of Coys. B & D COYS in the line, C COY in support and A COY in Reserve. Lt. T.H. Arundel to hospital.

14/10/18 Enemy heavily gas shelled front line and area near Battalion Assembly area. At 0505 barrage opened and at 0538 B & D COYS moved to attack. Enemy artillery opened fairly aggressively.

At 0700 hours RIGHT COY (D COY (Frank Rayner’s Company)) reported by pigeon objective gained, following on to railway in Q21 and Q22. B COY on the left reported objective gained and in touch with both flanks. At 0740 hours A COY moved up to old front line. C COY were in close support to the forward COYS. D COY had to move back from railway owing to MG fire from right rear. B COY reported at 1000 hours that whole line had held up and Batt on right digging in. Batt consolidated line gained and pushed patrols forward. Total prisoners 9 Officers and 30 O/Rs. Casualties 7 O/Rs killed, 35 O/Rs wounded *(my emphasis, it is highly likely that Frank Rayner was one of the seven soldiers of other rank that were detailed as killed at the end of the day’s fighting on 14th October).

The enemy was fairly quiet on the front during the night. Our patrols very active, endeavors made to reach the RIVER LYS. Enemy shelling was consistent during the night, a great deal of gas shelling was experienced over the whole area.

15/10/18 Patrols reached the RIVER LYS and C COY pushed through B and D COYS to hold ground gained. Orders received that 2/16th LON REGT move back into RESERVE at TENBRIELEN. At 1640 order cancelled. Batt to cross the RIVER LYS at BOUSBECQUE and hold ground south of same. Bridges at this point reported burning’.

*A total of 300 prisoners passed through Battalion HQ.

**Later recorded casualties numbered 42 wounded with 7 killed.

Although still harassed by artillery from high ground on the far bank of the River Lys, A Company achieved a crossing on the night of 15th October with the rest of the Battalion crossing the following morning when they occupied Bousbecque. The German retreat continued until they reached the River Scheldt where a last ditch attack was staged on 1st November. The bombardment lasted three days during most of which the Battalion were able to shelter beneath ground. Further Battalion orders were cancelled as rumours started to circulate of an imminent armistice. When it came, soldiers of the Civil Service Rifles received the news with a sense of anti-climax and indifference that was the common experience of many units then still serving on the Western Front.

What a tragedy for the Rayner family with Edgar being killed in 1916 only for Frank to fall with less than a month of hostilities remaining.

Trinity Church’s War Memorial 

(Trinity Church, 10th November 2019)

Detail from the Trinity Church War Memorial showing Edgar and Frank Rayner

(Trinity Church, 10th November 2019)

Both Frank and Edgar are commemorated on the Roll of Honour within Trinity Church were the two soldiers to be were Christened. Today as residents of the Newtown area of Bishops Stortford we remember the sacrifice made by Edgar and Frank and several others from this area in ‘The War To End All Wars’.

Trinity Church’s Roll of Honour

(Trinity Church, November 2018)

Frank Rayner is buried in the CWGC Somer Farm Cemetery in Belgium.

His inscription reads:

"SNATCHED FROM LOVING PARENTS WITHOUT A MOMENT'S NOTICE".

Detail from the Bishops Stortford War Memorial

(Castle Gardens, 10th November 2019)