St. James' Church

Harold George Stainer

Surname: Stainer
Other names: Harold George
Other people in this story:
George Theodore Stainer
Jane Stainer née Young
Kate Mary Stainer née King
Walter Charles Stainer
Arthur Stainer
Locations in this story:
Shaftesbury, Dorset
St. James, Shaftesbury
Layton Lane, Shaftesbury

Story:
Harold George Stainer was born on the 30th September 1888 in Shaftesbury, Dorset and baptised at St. James' Church on 28th October 1888 the son of the George Theodore Stainer and Jane Stainer (née Young).  He lived his whole life, apart from during Military Service, in St. James, Shaftesbury. He married Kate Mary King at St. James' Church, Shaftesbury, on 10th September 1914.  There are no records of any children.  

Harold enlisted on the 7th June 1916 but was not mobilized until 12th March 1917 when he joined the Devonshire Regiment (Labour Battalion) as a Private (Service No. 59879).  Shortly after on 9 June 1916 he was transferred to the Labour Corps 3rd Reserve Battalion and was posted to the 303rd Labour Company (Service No. 290276).   On the 13th October 1917 he was transferred to the 191 Training Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps (which became the Royal Air Force on 1st April 1918) (Service No. 104964).  He held the rank of Air Mechanic II and was employed as an Aero Rigger.   He was discharged, having served the whole time in the UK, on 12th April 1919 as being unfit for further service and received the Silver War Badge No. 7071 and a short lived limited pension.  There are no other obvious medal records. The 1921 Census shows him living at 1 St. James Street, Shaftesbury, described as a Cabinet Maker and by the 1939 Register he had moved to 18 Layton Lane, Shaftesbury, still working as a Cabinet Maker and Upholsterer. He died in Shaftesbury on 1st April 1955 and was buried in St. James Churchyard on 6th April 1955.

Two of Harold's siblings served in the war: Walter Charles (b.1893) with the Royal Field Artillery, and Arthur (b.1896) with the Dorset Yeomanry and Royal Garrison Artillery.

Images:

Links to related web content / sources:
The National Archives
Walter Charles Stainer
Arthur Stainer