As Ainley had resigned his commission and was no longer in the Army at
the time of his death, he is not recognised as a war death for the
purposes of the CWGC.
Death of the Rev WP Ainley
To many of our readers especially in St Paul's district, the Rev WP Ainley
will be remembered as a former curate at St Paul's where he laboured for a
for about 2 years and left last year with the intention of proceeding to
the Mission Field in China. The outbreak of the war led to a change in his
plans and Mr Ainley became an Army chaplain at Aldershot, where he
unfortunately contracted spotted fever. He lay in a prostrate condition
being affected mentally as well as physically but a change for the better
came and it was hoped that the Rev gentleman would pull through. A change
for the worse, however, set in and Mr Ainley passed on Wednesday. The sad
news was conveyed to his father , the Rev FW Ainley, vicar of Uffington,
Lincs, who at the time was at Bath taking part in a series of devotional
meetings.
The Rev Ainley was a much liked during his curacy at St Paul’s where he
laboured with much acceptance and when he left the esteem of the
parishioners was expressed in a presentation being made to him. The Rev
gentleman was a keen supporter of the missionary work and he stated before
leaving St Paul’s that his missionary spirit was intensified at an
exhibition held in Chippenham about 3 years ago and it was this then that
he made the resolve to go to China, a resolve which death has now
prevented being put into practice and all will regret the cutting short of
a promising career.
Wilts Times 16 Oct 1915
ARMY CHAPLAINS DEPARTMENT.
The Reverend W. P. Ainley, temporary Chaplain to the Forces, 4th Class,
relinquishes his commission on account of ill health. Dated 10th
September, 1915.
London Gazette 7 Sept 1915
There is a Chaplain 4th Class Frederick William Ainley recorded by the
CWGC as having died on 5th December 1918, buried in Terlincthun British
Cemetery, France and is commemorated on the memorial at Tydd St Mary in
Lincolnshire. This, I believe to be his brother, Frederick W Ainley.
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