CHAINEY Lionel Wilson

Lionel was born in Blockley in 1890, (birth registered June Quarter, born 27 April, baptised 27 July), one of 14 children most of whom were boys.  His father was the licensee of the Crown inn. Lionel was at home up until at least 1911, when he was recorded as the son of a farmer (his father was by then a farmer as well as holding the Crown licence).

In March 1913, a Lionel Chainey, sailed from Liverpool to Halifax, Nova Scotia bound for Lethbridge, Alberta, intending to work as a farm labourer and to remain in Canada. This is almost certainly Lionel from Blockley. Although shown as 26 years of age and a clerk in the British shipping manifest, he was the correct age (23) and a labourer in the Canadian documentation. He would have been following his brothers Arthur, Charles and Harry, who emigrated to Canada in 1908, 1910 and 1912. If so, he clearly soon emigrated to New Zealand from the western side of Canada.

The next confirmed information of Lionel is of his embarkation at Wellington, New Zealand with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force in late 1915 to take part in the fighting in Europe. He fought as part of the Otago Regiment and died of wounds in 1917. He is commemorated in a cemetery in Belgium and remembered on his brother Charles’ gravestone in Blockley Church Cemetery.

Information from various records from New Zealand websites:
Lionel Chainey, care of Mrs Whittey, Waikino, New Zealand, unmarried, next of kin William F, Chainey (Father), Blockley, Worcestershire, England. Embarked on the Willochra or Tofia at Wellington, New Zealand on 13th November 1915 with the 8th Reinforcements, destination, Suez.

A photograph of Private L.W. Chainey of Blockley can be found in Berrow’s Worcester Journal Supplement, Saturday 26th January 1918, available at Worcestershire Archives.

Lionel Chainey has no known grave, the photograph available shows his name on Buttes New British Cemetery New Zealand Memorial.