WILLIAM RAYNOR VC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BORN: July 1795, Plumtree, Nottinghamshire.

Married Mary Anne Wirral, Cawnpore, India, 27^th August 1823, and went on to have four children named:-

 Adelaide Louisa Raynor; Born 14^th July 1834, Cawnpore, India. Died 15^th December 1915 Mussoorie, Uttaranchal, India.

Richard John Raynor; Born 8^th October 1836, Cawnpore, India.

Thomas Samuel Raynor; Born 14^th July 1839, Cawnpore, India.

Albert Charles Raynor; Born 18^th September 1844, Delhi, India.

 

Served: The Bengal Veteran Establishment.

DATE OF GAZETTE: 18^th June 1858.

V.C. CITATION: On the 11th May 1857 at Delhi, India, Lieutenant Raynor and nine other soldiers defended the magazine of the fort for more than five hours against a large vastly superior number of rebels and mutineers. When the enemy had finally scaled the wall and with no relief in sight, Lieutenant Raynor ordered the contents of the magazine to be detonated. Only Lieutenant Raynor and two other soldiers survived, but many of the enemy were killed. At the age of 61 Lieutenant William Raynor is the oldest person to receive the Victoria Cross.

DIED: 13^th December 1860

BURIED: Civil Cemetery, West Punjab, India.

HIS TOMBSTONE READING IS AS FOLLOWS:

“Beneath this stone lie the mortal remains of Captain William Raynor, Dy Commissary of Ordnance, who died at Ferozepore on the 13th December 1860 aged 64 years 5 months. Honoured and beloved he lived and honoured and lamented he died.''

 

His Victoria Cross is displayed at The Royal Logistic Corps Museum (Camberley, Surrey, England)

 

 

Awarded the Victoria Cross in India in 1858, with the LONDON GAZETTE

reading as follows:

RAYNOR, WILLIAM, Lieutenant, served in the Indian Mutiny, and for his services in that campaign was awarded the Victoria Cross (London Gazette 18 June 1858): "William Raynor, Bengal Veteran Establishment. For gallant conduct in the defence of the Magazine at Delhi on the 11th May, 1857." Of the gallant nine only four escaped. When the Magazine was blown into the air, five of them died with it - and with them died also a thousand Mutineers. Willoughby and Forrest joined a party of Europeans at the Main Gate at Delhi, so blackened as to be almost unrecognizable. Willoughby was killed shortly afterward in an encounter with the Mutineers, in a village on the way to Kurnool. At the attack on the Fort of Rooya,
Lieutenant Edward Willoughby (brother of Willoughby of the Powder Magazine), though on the sick-list, left his dhooly to join in the fight, and was killed in a daring attempt to scale the parapet. Captain Café and Private Thompson brought in his body, and won the Victoria Cross. The two other men of the nine who escaped were Raynor and Buckley who, taking different directions, eventually reached Meerut in safety. The Victoria Cross was
awarded to the three men who survived, and a memorial tablet was erected over the gate of the old Magazine with the following inscription:

" On 11 May, 1857
Nine Resolute Englishmen,
George Dobree Willoughby, Bengal Artillery,
In Command,
Lieut. William Raynor, Lieut. George Forrest, Conductor G. William
Shaw, Conductor John Buckley, Conductor John Scully, Sub-Conductor
William Crow, Sergt. Bryan Edwards, Sergt. Peter Stewart, defended the
Magazine of Delhi for more than five hours against large number of rebels
and mutineers, until the wall being scaled and all hope of succour gone,
these brave men fired the Magazine. Five of the gallant band perished in
the explosion, which at the same time destroyed many of the enemy,
This tablet,
marking the former entrance gate to the Magazine, is placed here by the
Government of India."

Little research has been done to date on the life of Captain William Raynor, and sadly any documents and photographs that may have existed in the family have been lost. It is known that he was born in 1795, and that he served in the ranks of the Bengal European Regiment before being appointed a Conductor in the Bengal Ordnance Department on 14th February 1823, and Assistant Commissary at Delhi on 17th April 1845. On 17th August 1852, at the
age of fifty-seven, he was recorded as a Lieutenant on the Bengal Veterans Establishment. He died on 13th December 1860, and his grave in Ferozepore records that he was 64 years and five months. He was, therefore, just over sixty-two years old when he won the Victoria Cross

 

We previously stated, incorrectly that Plumtree Parish Council had not Honoured Captain William Raynor.

 Now we have been contacted by Mr W Lawrenson MBE who has kindly sent us some interesting information and put the facts right.

Two cottages were built in 1993 on Church Hill, Plumtree for National Housing week, they were named Raynor Cottages in memory of Captain William Raynor VC, he has also told us the Parish Council have now arranged for a  memorial plaque to be placed by the West gate of Plumtree Church as a further reminder of his birth in Plumtree and heroism.

The committee would like to thank Mr Lawrenson for this information.

 

 

St. Mary the Virgin

Plumtree

 

On Friday 4^th March, one of the committee members visited the village of Plumtree in Nottinghamshire, following an email from Mr W Lawrenson MBE, informing us of two cottages that were named after

Captain William Raynor VC.

These cottages were built in 1993 as part of National Housing Week, and opened by the

Rt. Hon. Kenneth Clark QC.MP Chancellor of the Exchequer

They are located just down from the local church in the beautiful village of Plumtree, and now the Parish Council have announced that they will be unveiling a plaque later this year to Captain William Raynor, to be sited by the notice board at the West gate of the Church.

 

While in the village I visited the church and was greeted by Margaret the church warden, and Derek the organist, who gave me a welcome cup of coffee and explained a little about the church history and gave me a very interesting leaflet about it.

It has claims of 9^th century origin, but these are unconfirmed, but the existence of a church here in the 11^th century is virtually certain, and is mentioned in the Doomsday Book.

 

Visit their website at

http://www.plumtreechurch-notts.org/

 

there is an online photographic church tour with some lovely photos.

 

At present the church is open on Wednesday and Friday mornings from 9.30 until 11.30 am, and between 10 am and 12 noon on Saturdays. In addition, you get a coffee!

They also produce a parish magazine, which I found very interesting, especially the speeding ticket story; it is worth 40p of anyone’s money just to read this article.

 

Please visit this church you will be made very welcome as I was.

 

Thank you Margaret and Derek for the warm welcome.

 

Below are some photo's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Chairman and his good lady attended a service at St Marys Church Plumtree, on Sunday 17^th July to mark

the dedication of a plaque to William Raynor VC

The service was attended by members of the Raynor family, which included Mrs Shirley Trollope, who had travelled up from Colchester, another family member had travelled from Southern France where he lives, and another had set off from Southampton, at 6:00am to be at the church for 10:00am. Also in attendance was the Leader of Nottinghamshire  County Council, Councillor Kay Cutts

An excellent church service was taken by the Reverend Trevor Kirkman, and at the end of the service all the congregation sang the National Anthem and moved outside to where the plaque was to be unveiled.

The weather was very kind to us, thus allowing  the Mayor of Rushcliffe,  Councillor Gordon Moore to unveil the plaque to William Raynor VC,  a very brave man.

Following the unveiling, a photo shoot took place, and then everyone returned to the church for coffee and biscuits.

At this juncture I would like to say thank you to Mr. Bill Lawrenson, for organising such a well run and friendly event, it was indeed a delight to meet so many nice people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ruddington have honoured Francis Wheatley VC.

Radcliffe on Trent have honoured Samuel Morley VC.

Bingham will be honouring Harry Beet VC in 2011, memorial plaque already designed.

Top Raynor Cottages, with the plaque underneath.

 

St Marys Plumtree, we have been told (Unofficially)  that the plaque will be going by the notice board

Left, St Marys War Memorial

 

Centre, St marys Bell Tower

 

Right, Churchyard Lampost