Son of the late Henry and Mary Rainbow, of Hanslope, Bucks, England. Also served in German South-West Africa and in Egypt. Born in 1890, in Hanslope, Buckinghamshire, England. Walter was the third surviving son of Henry and Mary Rainbow, of Barnwell Buildings, Hanslope, who apprenticed as a railway Coachmaker at Wolverton Carriage Works, Buckinghamshire, before emigrating to South Africa, in the early 1900s, to join his elder brother Henry James Rainbow and his wife Louie at their home in Red Hill, Durban. Whilst in South Africa, Walter enlisted in the colonial regiment, rising to the rank of Sergeant, fighting alongside General Louis Botha's troops, in the German South West Africa campaign 1914-1915. When the African campaign concluded, Walter was entitled to his discharge from service, but honourably, he decided to continue his service, this time for his native homeland, enlisting with the South African Oversea Expeditionary Force on the 24th August 1915, giving up his Sergeant's stripes and returning to England as a plain Tommy Atkins. After a short stay at Bordon Military Camp, Hampshire, he embarked with his regiment from Devonport, Plymouth, on-board HMT Saxonia, 29 December 1915, en route to Marseilles, France via Alexandria, Egypt. Having been promoted to Lance Corporal during his time in England, Walter played a heroic part as a machine gunner in the trenches and with his comrades, engaged in the British troops "push" at the Somme, where, the day before the Battles of Delville Wood and Bazentin Ridge, he sadly met his death. Commemorated on a roll of honour and memorial at the Church of St James the Great, Hanslope, Buckinghamshire.
Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 4 C: named on photograph "2nd Regiment South African Infantry, photograph 5". Photograph: South African War Graves Project.
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K.M. Jordan — DLI research (ABW / WWI ROH)
K.M. Jordan, Durban Light Infantry: WWI Roll of Honour ("Work in Progress" draft, July/Aug 2026; email to John/Bobby, 3 Sep 2026). Local file data/jordan_dli_wwi_roh_2026-08.pdf (Downloads: "1. Durban Light Infantry WWI ROH - July, Aug 2026.pdf"). WWI ROH #117 Corporal RAINBOW, Walter Thomas, age 26, Force No 4655, 1st South African Infantry Brigade: Born Hanslope, Buckinghamshire, England 1890; a railway coach maker with the SAR&H before enlistment; served with Durban Light Infantry in GSWA 1914-1915; served with the 2nd Regiment in Egypt & France; served in machine gun section; killed in action at Bernafay Wood, Somme, France. (Body never found) “He says he was shot right through the heart and death was instantaneous.” Willie Robins 22/10/19… Buried/commemorated: Thiepval Memorial to the Missing, Somme, France. (Also, on the following WWI Memorials: the Durban Light Infantry; St. Mary’s Anglican Church, Greyville (panel 1); St. James’ Anglican Church, Mornings…
- South African War Graves Project open source ↗
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