Historic Records Men of 1914

  Arrived overseas: 5 November 1914. Connection: 1914 Star trio and Princess Mary tin. Sadly, Lorimer Headley ticks two of my collecting themes: men who arived overseas in 1914, and men who have a connection to July 1916. Lorimer arrived overseas on the 5th November 1914 and he was killed in action at Delville Wood on the Somme on the 15th July 1916. Later, this obituary was published in De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour, also enabling us to see a photo of the man. He was just 20-years-old when he was killed in action. RIP.

Arrived overseas: 7 November 1914. Connection: 2nd Middlesex Regiment football team photo 1912.  John Ainger was a corporal when this photo was taken of him in 1912, but he'd been tried by a district court martial later that year and reduced to the ranks. Surving papers show that his 'crime' was "Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline - being in the corporals' room during prohibited hours". He'd been in the army for six years by then, and undeterred by his demotion, in 1913 elected to extend his period of colour service to complete 12 years with the colours. He landed in France as a corporal on the 7th November 1914, having been promoted to that rank just two days earlier. John Ainger was killed in action on the 23rd December 1914. He was 26-years-old, the son of Christopher and Kate Ainger of 14 Sothern Road, King's Road, Fulham. He is buried in Rue du Bacquerot No 1 Military Cemetery in Laventie. His grieving parents paid to h...