Major Sean Rainey

[oberon]

Here's a long shot -

Joyce Marion Wallace was born on January 3 1923 in Shanghai...back in Shanghai in 1940, aged only 17, she married Sean Rainey, an Irishman then serving as a private in the Seaforth Highlanders. This was partly a strategic move to get out of China: the Raineys duly moved to Australia, where Marion had powerful cousins in the Fairfax family, owners of the Sydney Morning Herald, and then to Bangalore. Here two children were born, and young Mrs Rainey served briefly as recruiting officer for the Black Watch while learning about "the sins of gin" and how to mix dry martinis.

Such skills made her welcome when she arrived as a young divorced woman in austere post-war London - she went on to marry and divorce Richard Wrottesley 5th Bart and have a son, Mark, by him.

It's Sean Rainey I'm after, who ended up as a Major, who is proving v elusive.

[Leofric]

Oberon,

If Sean Rainey was a British Army officer, he should be quite easy to trace. I would ask a moderator to move this post to the Armed Forces forum where you'll get expert advice on how to get his service papers.

[oberon]

Tried the Seaforth Highlanders - they couldn't help without dob which I haven't got!

Any other route I could try?

[aghadowey]

Oberon- will send pm is a few minutes as I don't want to post details about people who are probably still alive.

[Christopher]

Hi Oberon,

There's a list of suggested sources for locating details of ancestors who lived or worked in Shanghai on the The University of Bristol website. Most of them are Europeans.  

Christopher

[Leofric]

Tried the Seaforth Highlanders - they couldn't help without dob which I haven't got!

Any other route I could try?

Oberon,

Service records are held by the MOD - not the regiment. Have a look at the Armed Forces Resources forum where you will see a posting entitled "How to get Service papers post WW1"

These should give a potted history of his life, including where born and when, physical description, next of kin and their address, and possibly address on discharge.

[Lou 68]

I've noticed that you seem to be looking for Major Sean Rainey. I do have a connection to him. I was checking out the family military history.

[sarah]

Hi Lou,

Welcome to RootsChat, oberon was online yesterday hopefully he will reply soon.

Regards

Sarah

[oberon]

Hi Lou he was my wife's maternal ggrandfather