Also Served: William Rainford - William RAINFORD
30 Ackers Street, Prescot Private 1567, 1/5th Bn., South Lancashire Regiment William was born in Prescot on 26th February 1894. The earliest record of him is the 1901 census which shows him living with his widowed mother, Emma, two brothers and a sister at 20 Highfield Place, Prescot, the home of his mother's brother, Herbert Hibbert. By the 1911 census, the family had moved to 30 Ackers Street, Prescot. By this time, William was 17 years old and working as a Wire Coverer at the Wire Works.
William was a pre war Territorial and his number suggests an enlistment in late 1912. He went to France with his unit on 12th February 1915 and at some point around that date he was promoted to Sergeant. His name appeared in the list of men of the Bible Class who were serving the colours in May 1915, printed in the Reporter.
On an unknown date in 1915, Sgt Rainford was wounded and a letter from his CQMS, William Berry, appeared in the Prescot Reporter.
Undated letter in the Prescot Reporter, courtesy of Ste M
His name was then included in a list of wounded which was published in the Manchester Courier on 11th October 1915, shown below
He was transferred to the Labour Corps, probably in early 1917, and was renumbered as Sergeant 325268. This was probably as a result of his earlier wounds.
Late in 1918, he married Leah Bridge in Prestwich.
William was discharged on 29th March 1919. He was entitled to the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal
In 1921, William and Leah had a son, also called William. At the time of the 1939 National register, shown below, the family were living at 9 Halsall Street, Prescot.
William Rainford died in Prescot in 1969, aged 74
Ref. No.: A1279
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