Name
William George Rainbow
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
31/03/1915
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7733
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BEDFORD HOUSE CEMETERY
Enclosure No. 2,Plot IV, Row A, Grave 15.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Not on the Berkhamsted memorials, Stanmore War Memorial, Middlesex
Pre War
Son of Mary Ann (nee FINCH) RAINBOW; husband of Beatrice Alice (nee BEALE) RAINBOW.
William FINCH was born 17 September 1886 in Berkhamsted, Herts, and baptised 20 October 1886 at St Peter’s, Berkhamsted. He attended first Berkhamsted Infants’ School; then Beechen Grove Board School, Watford, from 29 May 1893 to 16 May 1898. He married 1908 in the Watford district; they had four children. He resided in Watford. Alice remarried 1921 in the Watford district to Frederick G BEESON, she died 1948 in Watford aged 59, and was buried 29 June in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford.
His mother married James Owen RAINBOW 10 December 1889 in Bedford. She possibly remarried 23 December 1916 at St Michael’s, Watford, to Thomas STONE (though a death for James is proving elusive). If so, she died 1928 in Watford aged 67, and was buried 15 December in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
On the 1891 Census, a scholar aged 5 he lived in Berkhamsted, with his mother, step-father and two siblings. On the 1901 Census, a golf caddie aged 16, he lived in Watford, with his mother and four siblings. On the 1911 Census, a professional golfer aged 26, he lived in Stanmore, Middx, with his wife and one child.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Watford; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914 Star medals, his qualifying date being 16 August 1914, and died at 85 Field Ambulance of wounds received in action.
Additional Information
Unfortunately, William’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing. Has a entry in the National Roll of the Great War.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
