South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


2nd Lieutenant Albert Edward RAINBOW - 10th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

Killed in action on Sunday 23rd July 1916 aged 24

Military History
     
Theatre of War Campaign Medals Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France & Flanders British War & Victory Medals Thiepval Memorial
     
Arrived in Theatre Bravery & Conduct Medals SWFHS Area Memorials
21 May 1916 in France  ~ Leamington Spa War Memorial
    Leamington Spa Holy Trinity Memorial
Action, Battle or Other Reason Died Date and Place Enlisted Leamington Spa St. Mary's Memorial
Battle of the Somme  9 Sep 1914 in London Leamington St. Paul's Memorial
    Leamington College For Boys Memorial
Place of Death Commissioned  
High Wood, Bazentin-le-Petit, Somme 12 May 1915 as 2nd Lt (Gazette)  
     

Military Service

  • 09 Sep 1914 - Enlisted as a Private in the Empire Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
  • 12 May 1915 - Commissioned as a 2nd Lt in 13th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment
  • Transferred to 4th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment 
  • 21 May 1916 - Arrived in France and posted to 10th Battalion

Circumstances of Death

Albert is listed as being killed in action on 23rd July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. The 10th Battalion war diary entries for the period 22nd to 25th July are transcribed below. NB. There is no entry for the 24th.

S of Martinpuich - 22/7/16: Spent in improving the advanced front line which formed our kicking off point for the attack we had been ordered to make on the early morning 23/7/16.

S of Martinpuich - 23/7/16 – 12.30am: We attacked a portion of the new switch line the enemy had dug in front of & due S of Martinpuich. B Coy attacked on the right but we failed to take our objective. B Coy however seized and held Point 17 with the aid of reinforcements from the remaining companies. This point proved most valuable enabling us as it did to observe the enemies line which had not previously been under our observation.

In this action 2/Lt E.A. Naish was killed, 2/Lts A.J. Maybrey, L.N. Thornton, G.E. Kirby & F Gleave are missing whilst Lt T.A. Street & 2/Lts J. MacDonald & H. Wilcox were wounded. In addition we lost 11 other ranks killed, 58 other ranks wounded & 70 other ranks missing.

9.30pm: Relieved by 8th Royal Berks & move back into trenches in vicinity of Shelter Wood.

Baizieux – 25/7/16: Relieved by 8th York & Lancaster Regt & move back to bivouac in Baizieux Wood.
 
 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/Place Baptism Date/Place
18 Jun 1892 in Leamington Spa   
   
Parents Names Abode
Charles and Harriet Rainbow 5 Farley Street, Leamington Spa
   
Schools Colleges
Leamington Municipal Secondary School  ~
   
Address History Employment History
1892 - Leamington Spa 1901 - Scholar
1901 - 4 Somers Place, Leamington Spa 1911 - Student at Leamington School
1911 - 2 Clarence Terrace, Leamington Spa        1914 - Assistant Master at Richmond British Schools 
1915 - 5 Farley Street, Leamington Spa  
   
  • Brother of Hugh William and Frank Grosvenor Rainbow who also fell

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