Family / Relatives: Son of Arthur Leslie and Florence Maud Rayner of Welling
Leslie Edwin Rayner
Leslie was born 24 May 1924 in Lewisham. His father was Arthur Leslie Rayner (b1904) and his mother was Florence Maud Rayner (nee Williams) (1904-1993), they married in 1922 in Kingston, Surrey. Leslie had one brother Ronald James Rayner (1925-2009).
Our researcher says;
“Whilst the CWGC citation says that Leslie’s parents lived in Welling this has proved difficult to verify. The Rayner family tree on Ancestry shows connections to Lewisham, Woolwich and Eltham”…
From what we can gather, however, it appears that his parents divorced in 1938. In the following year, 1939, Florence married Edward John Cecil Kemp in Woolwich. The 1939 Register shows Florence, Edward and Leslie living at 66 Wickham Lane (Plumstead) – (Edward Kemp’s trade was given as ‘Explosives Worker and Leslie Rayner’s as a butcher’s assistant).
Florence and Edward seem to have subsequently moved the short distance from Plumstead and lived in Welling for many years after the war in Swanley Road.
Just a few years after being a butcher’s assistant in Welling, young Leslie must have joined the army.
Leslie was part of the 8 Battalion Argyl and Sutherland Highlanders. This Battalion had seen action in Tunisia, Sicily and throughout Italy.
They were part of the Irish Brigade during the Italian Campaign in 1943.
At the end of October the Battalion War Diary states “ At the end of October 8 Argyl and Sutherland Highlanders were based at Montenro, with the companies spread out of the spurs overlooking the river. The Germans were not holding positions south of the river but were active with patrols and outposts.”
As part of the Irish Brigade we learn that “Despite Brigadier Russell’s request for a postponement due to the adverse weather conditions, the attack went in as planned on the night of 27th/28th October.,,”https://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/month-by-month-campaign-narrative/italian-campaign-month-by-month/october-1943/
Leslie died on 29 October 1943. Initially he was buried at a local site but was moved to the Sangro River War Cemetery and reburied on 9 May 1944.
Sangro River War Cemetery
History information
On 3 September 1943 the Allies invaded the Italian mainland, the invasion coinciding with an armistice made with the Italians who then re-entered the war on the Allied side. Allied objectives were to draw German troops from the Russian front and more particularly from France, where an offensive was planned for the following year.
Progress through southern Italy was rapid despite stiff resistance, but by the end of October, the Allies were facing the German winter defensive position known as the Gustav Line, which stretched from the river Garigliano in the west to the Sangro in the east. By 4 November, the Allied force that had fought its way up the Adriatic coast was preparing to attack the Sangro river positions. A bridgehead had been established by the 24th and by nightfall on the 30th, the whole ridge overlooking the river was in Allied hands.
The site of this cemetery was selected by the 5th Corps and into it were brought the graves of men who had died in the fierce fighting on the Adriatic sector of the front in November-December 1943, and during the static period that followed.
In addition, the cemetery contains the graves of a number of escaped prisoners of war who died while trying to reach the Allied lines. SANGRO RIVER WAR CEMETERY contains 2,617 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. Within the cemetery will be found the SANGRO RIVER CREMATION MEMORIAL, one of three memorials erected in Italy to officers and men of the Indian forces whose remains were cremated in accordance with their faith – the other two cremation memorials are in Forli Indian Army War Cemetery and Rimini Gurkha War Cemetery. The memorial at Sangro River commemorates more than 500 servicemen.
Leslie Rayner’s gravestone has the personal message “O for the touch of the vanished hand, and the sound of a voice that is still. Mother, Denn and Dad”.
Sadly, we cannot be sure whether this ‘Dad’ refers to his father or stepfather – nor do we know who Denn was – if anyone does know, please let us know.
Pictured are a view of Wickham Street from around 1950 (but which the family would probably have recognized), another view of the Sangro River War Cemetery, some Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders regalia, and the St. Michael’s East Wickham Church Memorial Tablet with Leslie’s name on the right hand panel.
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If anyone is able to add any extra information, provide more family details, or suggest any corrections, please let us know – also, if anyone has any more photos of this individual listed on our memorials, please get in touch. Thank you
Commemorated
- St. Michael’s East Wickham Church Memorial Tablet
- Sangro River War Cemetery, Italy
This story has been researched by volunteers. We have taken every effort to ensure its accuracy. If you are related to Leslie Edwin Rayner, or if you have any further information, please do get in touch.