James Frederick Rayment was born at Hackney, London, in October 1873, the sixth and last child of an Essex born Blacksmith named Anthony Rayment and his wife Anne Rayment née Keeble. James was only seven years old when his father died at the age of 54 leaving him, together with his three brothers and two sisters, to be brought up by his mother Anne [Click to continue…]

James Arthur Rayment was born on 6th September 1889 at Balwyn in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. He was the fourth of eight children from the marriage of James Rayment and Harriet Ratten but was only eight years old when his mother Harriet died. Brought up by his father he did reasonably well at school, after leaving which he earned his living as a [Click to continue…]

Bertram Lionel PASK was born on 14 June 1880 at 52 Lower Harding Street, Northampton. He was one of sixteen children of Thomas Henry and Elizabeth PASK née MALLARD: Ada Minnie PASK (1871-1871) ― died in infancy Charles Albert PASK (1871-1874) ― died in infancy Herbert Edwin PASK (1872-1872) ― died in infancy Herbert Edwin PASK (1873-1874) [Click to continue…]

Julian Henry Francis Grenfell was born 30 May 1888 the eldest son of William Henry, later Lord Desborough, and Ethel Ann Priscilla Grenfell. He had always wished for a military career and in 1910 was commissioned into the 1st Royal Dragoons and stationed in India.  In 1911 the regiment was transferred to South Africa until August 1914 when it returned [Click to continue…]

Percy Clarence Drake Percy was born in 1894 in Clacton, Essex, the only son of Clifford Reuben Augustus Drake and Minnie Maria Legerton who were married on 5 Dec 1889 at Tolleshunt Darcy, Essex. In 1911 Clifford was a home decorator in Clacton on Sea, and Percy was a 16 year old employee of his father. In 1916 Percy married Annie Townes and there [Click to continue…]