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Cenotaph record

Ronald William Rainham

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Portrait, Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

Portrait, Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Ronald William AWMM
  • Surname
    Rainham AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    69317 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    69317 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    • WW2 1941 2NZEF Nom. Roll 6, p.29 Labourer/Civilian 2NZEF Nom. Roll 6, p.29
      2NZEF Nom. Roll 6, p.29
    • WW2 1943 2NZEF Nom. Roll 12, p.159 Labourer/Civilian 2NZEF Nom. Roll 12, p.159
      2NZEF Nom. Roll 12, p.159
    • WW2 1944 2NZEF Nom. Roll 14, p.81 Labourer/Civilian 2NZEF Nom. Roll 14, p.81
      2NZEF Nom. Roll 14, p.81
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    Killed on Active Service, Cause of Death AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Son of Beatrice Rainham and stepson of R. Martin of te Awamutu. AWMM
    • Ronald William Rainham's grandfather was Trooper John Thomas Rainham of the Otago Mounted Rifles. He enlisted 26 October 1914 having already served in the reserve forces. He was missing, believed to be killed in action 27 August 1915 at the battle for Hill 60 in the Dardanelle. A pointless suicide mission.
      His son William Rainham (Ronald W Rainham's father) enlisted on the same day. He too already served with the 5th Mounted Reserve. Though he didn't see any action abroad on the 8 Dec 1914 his horse fell on him during a parade and he fractured his thigh leaving him with a severe limp. He died (drowned) on 17 February 1924.
      Ronald W Rainham's Uncle, John T Rainham Jnr. signed up in August 1914 and disembarked in Alexandria on 15 October 1914. On the 28 April 1915 on the Gallipoli Peninsula he received by one account gun shot wounds to the shoulder and another account said his back and neck. He was on a critical list at Ghezireh Palace Hospital Cairo from May through November and then repatriated to NZ. John remained a paraplegic till his death in 1931. Three generations of young men. So very sad. Public - Erica - Other relative - 11 August 2017 - Family, ancestry, military files, commonwealth war graves
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    4 April 1945 AWMM
    Age 24 AWMM
    Italy, Europe AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed on Active Service AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Faenza War Cemetery, Italy AWMM IV. A. 14. AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM

Roll of Honour

Remember Ronald William Rainham by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Ronald William Rainham

Leave a note

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  • You were given life then it was taken from you much too soon in a place too far from home.
    Public - Erica - Other relative - 11 August 2017
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
    Commonwealth War Graves Commission record
    https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2237750
    Sources Used
  • References
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1942). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 6 (Embarkations from 1st October, 1941 to 31st December, 1941). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      p.29 AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 12 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1943 to 31st December, 1943). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      p.159 AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 14 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1944 to 31st December, 1944). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      p.81 AWMM
    • Burdon, R. (1959). 24 Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
Add new record Refresh
DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
15 March 2022Ian BanksTaumarunui New ZealandResearcher
11 August 2017EricaNewcastle AustraliaOther relative

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