Sergeant-Major John Crawshaw Raynes (1887 - 1929)  

Photo of John Raynes  

The award citation for the Victoria Cross  cites the following  

"No. 36380.  Sergeant-Major J. C. Raynes, (Royal Field Artillery).  For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty.  On 11th Oct., 1915, at Fosse 7 de Bethune, his Battery was being heavily bombarded by armour-piercing and gas shells.  On "Cease Fire" being ordered Sergeant-Major (then Acting Sergeant) Raynes, went out under an intense shell fire to assist Sergeant Ayres, who was lying wounded forty yards away.  He bandaged him and returned to his gun, when it was again ordered into action.  A few minutes later "Cease Fire" was again ordered owing to the intensity of the enemy fire, and Sergeant-Major Raynes, calling on two gunners to help him – both of whom were killed shortly afterwards – went out and carried Sergeant Ayres into a dug-out.  A gas shell burst at the mouth of the dug-out, and Sergeant-Major Raynes, once more ran across the open, fetched his own smoke helmet, put it on Sergeant Ayres, and then, himself badly gassed, staggered back to serve his gun.  On 12th Oct., 1915, at Quality Street, a house was knocked down by a heavy shell, four men being buried in the house and four in the cellar.  The first man rescued was Sergeant-Major Raynes, wounded in the head and leg, but he insisted on remaining under heavy shell fire to assist in the rescue of all the other men.  Then, after having his wounds dressed, he reported himself immediately for duty with his Battery, which was again being heavily shelled."

The citation appeared in a supplement to The London Gazette dated 18th November 1915 (11449)

John initially enlisted into the Army on 10th October 1904, joining the RGA. He transfered to the RHA/RFA a year later. He left the Army in 1912 but had already transfered to the Section B Reserves as a Bombadier two years earlier. He was recalled to the colours on 5th August 1914 and was posted to 'A' Bty Royal Field Artillery 71st Brigade (A/LXXI Brigade). After the award of the VC he was sent back to England in January 1916 and never returned to the Front. According to his local vicar he was severely wounded at Loos.  He spent the rest of the war with reserve and training units. He was discharged from the Army on 11th December 1918 as "physically unfit". The only other piece of information I have for John at that time  is that he was initiated into the Freemasons on 2nd November 1916

John as featured in a series of Gallagher Cigarette Cards

After his discharge from the Army he returned to the Leeds City Police and was promoted to Sergeant. However John found it increasingly difficult to fulfil his duties due to the nature of the injuries he had sustained whilst fighting for his country.  He finally retired from the police in 1926 and according to his obituary that appeared in The Times (14th November 1929) he was bed ridden with paralysis for the final three years of his life. Max Arthur in his recently published book on VC holders also mentions that John had periods of depression in the final years of his life.

John missed the Victoria Cross reunion dinner on Saturday, 9th November 1929 in The Royal Gallery, House of Lords, Palace of Westminster, London but he received a telegram from his fellow Yorkshire VC holders on Monday 11th November conveying their greetings and expressing their regret that he could not complete the party. He also had a visit from the new Lord Mayor of Leeds Mr. N.G. Morrison on the same day.

Two days later John died at the age of 42 leaving a wife and family. At his funeral, his coffin was carried by eight pallbearers all of whom had been awarded the Victoria Cross. There were a further three VC holders in the congregation. It was undoubtedly an indication of the high regard John was held in amongst fellow holders of the award.   

Additional information: 

John was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Raynes of Sheffield and was born in the city on 28th April 1887. He married Mabel Dawson at the Leeds Registry Office (Leeds : RB/159/149) on the 24th April 1907. They had one son that I know of - John Kenneth who was born on 30th January 1912. (the reference I noted however gives a date of birth in 1911 - WEST/283/6 in West Leeds). There may have been another son Thomas who was born circa 1925.There is a photograph of John in the Sheffield Daily Independent - the caption states that prior to enlisting in 1914 John was serving with the Leeds City Police  

At the time of the VC award, John was an Acting Sergeant but he later achieved the rank of Battery Sergeant-Major. In his book "Fifty Years of Church Life 1866 - 1916" (Chapter 5 Heeley and The War) the Reverend W. Odom refers to Christ Church Heeley and records that John Raynes

"was an old scholar of our Day and Sunday Schools, a member of our Boys' Brigade – Sergeant-Major J. C. Raynes, who, on his recovery, visited his old school, received a warm welcome from the vicar, teachers, and scholars, and in a simple, unassuming manner, after handing round his V.C. to the scholars, offered a few words of advice to the lads.  He was severely wounded at Loos..." 

This confirms the information in 1901 Census which has John transcribed as a thirteen year old boy living in the Heeley district of Sheffield. 

Dwelling: 25 Gleadless Road, Heeley, Sheffield

PRO Ref : RG13/4359 page 47

His father Stephen who was born in Liverpool in the June quarter of 1862 (GRO ref Vol 8b Page 205) He  was at the time of the Census a local publican. His mother Hannah also aged 40 came from Sheffield.

In fact there is a record of their marriage in the Wortley district of the West Riding in the March quarter of 1886 - Stephen Henry Raynes and Harriet Elizabeth Crawshaw (Wortley PRO Ref vol 9c page 251). 

More importantly though there is also a record of John's younger sister Elizabeth in the Parish Registers of Heeley Church. The baptism of Elizabeth took place on 23rd December 1891 and the entry is as follows

"23. Elizabeth Winifred, daughter of Stephen Henry and Hannah Elizabeth RAYNES, 25 Gleadless Road.

John's parents must have moved to the Heeley district soon after their marriage in 1886. The address in the register is that of the The Sheaf View Hotel in Heeley which still exists. John's father was the landlord of the pub. (see below). According to the  "Heghlegh Then and Heeley Now" by The Heeley History Workshop, John's father was granted the licence by the Sheffield Magistrates in 1891. In the application he also discloses that he  works as a auctioneers clerk. 

There is a sobering postscript to this  narrative

Notes

1. According to one web-site John at the invitation of His Majesty, King George V's attended an Afternoon Party held at Buckingham Palace London 26th June 1920 for the recipients of the Victoria Cross

2. Another local website notes the following - " The Sheaf View Hotel has had a mixed existence.  It was for many years a beer only licence, but closed when local housing was cleared. It re-emerged, much cleaned up, as a Marston's house, opening and closing again at regular intervals. It then lay derelict for several years. Now under the same management that run the New Barrack Tavern, it has become one of the most popular real ale outlets in Sheffield. (2003)." The premises were initially a grocer's shop opening around 1871 but there was a change in useage and by 1879 it is listed as a beerhouse selling beers from the Brampton Brewery.

3. John won his VC for his actions at Fosse 7 de Bethune France. Fosse 7 was a pithead on the road from Bethune to Lens. Used as an artillery site it was heavily involved in what became known as the Battle of Loos. There is a sad postscript to the events of that day. John and Sergeant Ayres  were best friends but sadly; despite all of John's efforts,  Sergeant Ayres did not survive the gassing and died the same day. His details as recorded on the Register of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission are as follows

 There is I believe in existence a letter to John from John Ayres parents who wrote and thanked John  for trying to save their son. They also congratulated him on winning the V.C. The Ayres family were from Worthing, Sussex. John Ayres was just 18 years old when he died  
 

If anyone could furnish me with any further information on John especially details of his police career in Leeds, please contact me  

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This page was last updated on 11/09/07 13:28