John Crawshaw Raynes
Encyclopedia
John Crawshaw Raynes VC
(28 April 1887 - 12 November 1929) was an English
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces.
Raynes, from Sheffield
in South Yorkshire
, joined the Royal Horse and Field Artillery in 1904 and served until 1912, then joined the Leeds police force.
in the 'A' Battery 71 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
, British Army
during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 11 October 1915 at Fosse 7 de Bethune, France
, Sergeant Raynes went to the assistance of another sergeant who was lying wounded. He bandaged the injured man and returned to his gun, then, when the battery ceased firing, carried the wounded man to a dug-out and when gas shelling started, put his own gas helmet on his injured comrade and, badly gassed himself, went back to his gun. The next day he was buried, with others, under a house which had been shelled. As soon as he had been extricated he insisted on helping to rescue the others, then, having had his wounds dressed, reported for duty.
On his death the following was noted:
His funeral took place in the presence of nineteen Victoria Cross recipients, eight of which were Yorkshire VC. Holders. The Yorkshire VC’s were; Captain George Sanders, Lieutenant Wilfred Edwards, Sergeant Fred McNess, Sergeant Charles Smith Hull, Sergeant Albert Mountain, Lance Corporal Frederick W Dobson, Private Arthur Poulter, Private William Boynton Butler who were acting as pallbearers. The 71st Field Brigade Royal Artillery provided the gun carriage that carried the coffin of Mr Raynes, followed by the chairman of the LEEDS “Old Contemptibles Association”, Captain W.E. Gage, carrying a purple cushion with JCR’s medals upon it a wreath of Flanders poppies and evergreen in the shape of a Victoria Cross was carried by Lieutenant Edwards.
The wreath was intended as a souvenir for JCR from the VC Dinner at the House of Lords. The wreath bore the message “In affectionate memory from brother VC’s of Leeds, who sorely missed their comrade at the Prince of Wales’s dinner, whence this emblem was brought for him.” Mr Raynes was intended to go to the dinner but he had to give his apologies, he asked if his son John Kenneth, age 18 would be able to take his place.
Mr Raynes received a telegram on Armistice Day from the other Yorkshire VC’s who attended the dinner, stating that they regretted that he could not attend and complete the party, sending their greetings. They promised him a memento of the dinner, (the VC shaped wreath). The service was held at St Clement’s Church, with the Lord and Lady Mayor and the Chief Constable in attendance, along with a squad of police.
He was buried at Harehills Cemetery, Leeds. A firing squad was arranged and provided by the West Yorkshire Regiment and the Last Post was sounded. The cemetery gates had to be closed due to the amount of people that were there to pay their respects, an estimated 25 to 30,000. So was the popularity of this brave man.
, England.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
(28 April 1887 - 12 November 1929) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces.
Raynes, from Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
in South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire
South Yorkshire is a metropolitan county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It has a population of 1.29 million. It consists of four metropolitan boroughs: Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham, and City of Sheffield...
, joined the Royal Horse and Field Artillery in 1904 and served until 1912, then joined the Leeds police force.
Details
He was 28 years old, and an Acting SergeantSergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in the 'A' Battery 71 Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
, British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 11 October 1915 at Fosse 7 de Bethune, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Sergeant Raynes went to the assistance of another sergeant who was lying wounded. He bandaged the injured man and returned to his gun, then, when the battery ceased firing, carried the wounded man to a dug-out and when gas shelling started, put his own gas helmet on his injured comrade and, badly gassed himself, went back to his gun. The next day he was buried, with others, under a house which had been shelled. As soon as he had been extricated he insisted on helping to rescue the others, then, having had his wounds dressed, reported for duty.
Further information
He later achieved the rank of Battery Sergeant Major.On his death the following was noted:
His funeral took place in the presence of nineteen Victoria Cross recipients, eight of which were Yorkshire VC. Holders. The Yorkshire VC’s were; Captain George Sanders, Lieutenant Wilfred Edwards, Sergeant Fred McNess, Sergeant Charles Smith Hull, Sergeant Albert Mountain, Lance Corporal Frederick W Dobson, Private Arthur Poulter, Private William Boynton Butler who were acting as pallbearers. The 71st Field Brigade Royal Artillery provided the gun carriage that carried the coffin of Mr Raynes, followed by the chairman of the LEEDS “Old Contemptibles Association”, Captain W.E. Gage, carrying a purple cushion with JCR’s medals upon it a wreath of Flanders poppies and evergreen in the shape of a Victoria Cross was carried by Lieutenant Edwards.
The wreath was intended as a souvenir for JCR from the VC Dinner at the House of Lords. The wreath bore the message “In affectionate memory from brother VC’s of Leeds, who sorely missed their comrade at the Prince of Wales’s dinner, whence this emblem was brought for him.” Mr Raynes was intended to go to the dinner but he had to give his apologies, he asked if his son John Kenneth, age 18 would be able to take his place.
Mr Raynes received a telegram on Armistice Day from the other Yorkshire VC’s who attended the dinner, stating that they regretted that he could not attend and complete the party, sending their greetings. They promised him a memento of the dinner, (the VC shaped wreath). The service was held at St Clement’s Church, with the Lord and Lady Mayor and the Chief Constable in attendance, along with a squad of police.
He was buried at Harehills Cemetery, Leeds. A firing squad was arranged and provided by the West Yorkshire Regiment and the Last Post was sounded. The cemetery gates had to be closed due to the amount of people that were there to pay their respects, an estimated 25 to 30,000. So was the popularity of this brave man.
The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Artillery Museum, WoolwichWoolwich
Woolwich is a district in south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.Woolwich formed part of Kent until 1889 when the County of London was created...
, England.