James Rainey was the son of youngest son of John and Hannah Rainey. He was born on 30th April 1892 in Aughnahoy, Portglenone. Like his father and brother, James was a farm labourer. James disembarked with the battalion on Gallipoli on 14th June 1915, and afterwards moved to the war in Palestine. In early 1918 the 52nd Lowland Division was moved to the Western Front and eventually they fought in the 2nd Battle of the Marne. Private James Rainey was serving with the 1st/8th Battalion of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) when he was killed in action in France at the Battle of Beugneux on 29th July 1918.
Further Information
James Rainey was the son of youngest son of John and Hannah Rainey. John Rainey married Hannah Greer on 7th August 1882 in the district of Ballymena.
James G Rainey was born on 30th April 1892 in Aughnahoy, Portglenone, County Antrim. He was one of six children.
Family: John Rainey, Hannah Rainey, Agnes Rainey (born 23rd June 1883), Henry Rainey (born 16th May 1885), Jane Rainey (born 4th April 1888), James Rainey (born 30th April 1891), Eliza Lizzie Anne Rainey (born 3rd June 1894), Rose Rainey (born 8th April 1897).
The 1901 census James as age 10, living with the family at house 45 in Aughnahoy, Portglenone, County Antrim. His father is not listed as living at the address at the time. It is likely that John was coal mining in Scotland at the time, as were several other local people, due to high local unemployment.
The 1911 census lists James as age 20 living with the family at house 37 in Aughnahoy, Portglenone. Like his father and brother, James was a farm labourer.
At the outbreak of World War One in August 1914 family stories recollect that Jimmy set off to walk to Randalstown to enlist in the Army, but this is unlikely. There are two reasons for this: firstly in the Battalion history quoted below it states in his death notice that he had enlisted in Glasgow and secondly since his Battalion, the 8th Scottish Rifles, was a Territorial one, he would have been a weekend soldier before the war broke out and so would have to be living in or around Glasgow. His nephew William Rainey (1930-2007) reported that Jimmy worked in the gasworks in Glasgow before the war. The 'Terriers', or 'Saturday Night Soldiers', were not obliged to serve overseas in the event of a crisis and as stated in the extracts only volunteers sailed off to Gallipoli and beyond.
James disembarked with the battalion on Gallipoli on 14th June 1915, and afterwards moved to the war in Palestine.
In early 1918 the 52nd Lowland Division was moved to the Western Front and eventually they fought in the 2nd Battle of the Marne.
Private James Rainey was serving with the 1st/8th Battalion of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) when he was killed in action in France at the Battle of Beugneux on 29th July 1918.
Private Rainey is buried in Raperie British Cemetery, Villemontoire, Aisne, France.
The CWGC record Private J Rainey as the son of John and Hannah Rainey, of Aughnahoy, Portglenone, County Antrim.
