Christopher Herbert Wainwright

His life from birth to 1910 is obscure. Nothing in BMD. His funeral mourners are only from Kent and RDF

1884 Jul 1. (Army List has his birth as 19 Jul 1884) b. Warrington, Lancashire In RIC Register. There is no Christopher Wainwright born in Warrington or in Lancashire at this time. The closest birth is 1887 Apr/Jun in Tewkesbury but that Christopher Wainwright dies immediately. His army service says "the son of Christopher Herbert Wainwright." A Herbert Wainwright is born Oct/Dec 1885 in Bolton, Lancs

1901 census Gloucester Union Tuffley County Children's home in Whaddon, is only close match

1910 Spring. Enlisted in Royal Dublin Fusiliers - their depot was at Gravesend. Service no 10572

1911 Apr 3. Census A corporal with Royal Dublin Fusiliers at Hartley Witney, Hampshire. Tournay Barracks Marlborough Lines Church East Square. It gives him as age 26 born in Warrington, Lancs.

1913 Dec 20. Married Beatrice Emma Martin at Gravesend, Kent. The marriage certificate says his father was "Christopher Wainwright". Children: Joan Christine (1914–2003) and Victor Christopher (1919–1999).

1914 Aug 23. Landed in France with Dublin Fusiliers (1914 is correct from Medal Roll)

1917 Aug 4. Royal. Ir. Rifles.2nd Lt. C. Wainwright is seed for duty as Asst. Adjt. and Qr.Mr., Convalescent. Depot.

1917 Aug 27. Transferred to England and struck off the strength of the battalion

1918 Feb .The Army List for February 1918 stated that he was Assistant Adjutant and Orderly Room Officer of No. 13 Convalescent Depot

1919 Aug 26. Royal. Ir. Rifles. The undermentioned Lts. retire, receiving a gratuity. 26th Aug. 1919: (actg. Capt.) Christopher Wainwright,.and is granted the rank of Capt. Address 13 Brunswick Road, Gravesend.

1920 Aug 17. Joined ADRIC with RIC no 72850, ADRIC no 330. Home address: 50 Milton Road, Gravesend, Kent and later 13 Brunswick Road, Gravesend. Posted to C Coy

My wife and I belong to the Dartford Detecting Club. Recently whilst detecting on farmland at New Barn, near Gravesend, Lyn found a silver I.D tag (25mm diameter) inscribed with Lt Wainwrights details. We presume it was worn as a bracelet because of the holes on each side.The Farmer tells us that the fields were used for the troops to practice in during the 1st world war (I understand that the farm has been in his family since the 1800's) so that is possibly how the I.D tag got there. Previously we have found a WW1 dummy practice grenade in the same area.

He was my Great Grandfather who was killed when my Grandmother was 6 years old, she has since died. I know that his father was also named Christopher Wainwright, as this appears on his marriage certificate to my Great Grandmother Beatrice Emma Martin.