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	You are in [Themes] [War Memorials] [Leonard Raine]

Lieutenant Leonard Raine
6th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment

Lieutenant Raine was born on the 29th February 1888 at Stockton on Tees, Durham and educated at Kings College School, Bromley, Kent.

He was attested on the 31st September 1914, his trade was shown as a Surveyor and Sanitary Inspector. He initially enlisted into the Royal Army Medical Corps, being promoted to Sergeant on the 8th July 1915.

In October 1915 he embarked on the S.S. Massilia at Birkenhead, disembarking at Mudros West on the 20th November. On the 26th February 1916 he joined the 21st General Hospital, Alexandria.

On the 4th February 1916 he applied for a commission and at that time he was shown as being of pure European descent and not married. As a result of his successful application he was sent to the Zeitown School of instruction where he was transformed from a medical sergeant into an infantry officer. His references for this application for the years 1911-12 were supplied by Rev T.S. Gray, Vicar – Hungerford and 1912-14 by a solicitor from Christchurch, Hampshire. His next of kin was W. Stephenson Raine, Hungerford, Berks. On the 26th July 1916 he was officially transferred to the York and Lancaster Regiment and posted to their 6th Battalion.




	Regimental Badge of Yorks & Lancs Regiment

He was killed in action on the 15th August 1916 and is buried in Agny Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.

Regimental Information:

The battalion war diary for the 15th August 1916 reads:

Battalion in trenches in front of Agny. At 2.30am 2nd Lieutenant Raine was killed on patrol. One Private wounded.

Local Newspaper Item:

Roll of Honour: – The greatest sympathy is felt with Mr and Mrs W.S. Raine of 'Hillside' (Salisbury Road), they having each lost a brother in action within a few days of one another. The loss of Mrs Raines brother, Second Lieutenant R.A. Bance, Royal Berkshire Regiment., was reported in the 'Mercury' last week, and on Saturday Mr W.S. Raine, who is highway surveyor at Hungerford was notified that his brother, Second Lieutenant Len Raine, had fallen when leading his men in a counter attack against the Germans. Mr Len Raine was well known in Hungerford, as previous to taking up an appointment as inspector of roads and buildings in Christchurch, he had spent some time with his brother at Hungerford where he made a large number of friends. On the outbreak of war he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps and quickly gained promotion through his ability in research work in the laboratory, being sent to Egypt. He then took up a commission in the York and Lancaster Regiment and had been out in France several months when he fell.'

Point of Interest:

Lieutenant Bance referred to above (Mrs. Raines brother) served in the 5th (Service) Battalion Royal Berkshire Regiment and was killed in action on the 9th August 1916. There are no records of any local links on the war memorial for this officer.