Hi Kim
I had to go to the Archives today as a favour to someone else so looked up your file for you.
Name: Louis John AINGER
Place of Birth: St Pancras Road, St Pancras, London
Father: Charles AINGER, late of St Pancras, London now deceased
Mother: Charlotte AINGER, late of St Pancras, London now deceased
Date of Decease: 13 May 1917
Place: On active Service, France
Age at death: Not stated
Occupation: Medical Attendant
Address: Eureka, Main Road, Sea Point
Spouse: Helen Mary AINGER deceased 15 October 1915
Marriage Place: Congregational Church, Observatory, Cape Town
Children: Elsie Maud Ainger Kingwell (minor) adopted [Ainger was written after Kingwell but has been circled and arrowed to before Kingwell]
Has deceased left any movable property: No
Has deceased left any immovable property: No
Is it estimated that the Estate exceeds £300 in value: No
Has the deceased left a Will: Yes
Signed at Cape Town 20th July 1917 by JH Bradley of Eureka, Main Road, Sea Point
In the file there is a letter to JH Bradley from Union of South Africa, Record Officer, S.A.N.L.C dated 15th May 1917. In essence it states:
Advising that No 194 Staff Sgt L J Ainger died from Hemiplegia on 13th May and to please break the news to Miss Elsie M Ainger.
There is also a Will dated 16th May 1915 wherein he bequeaths his estate to his adopted daughter Elsie Maud Ainger Kingwell.
Hereunder is a transcript of a letter from Charlotte Gore dated 17 May 1917.
Dear Sir
I am writing to you because of the sad event of the death of my only brother Louis John Ainger (late Head Attendant of Old Somerset Hospital, Cape Town) which occurred at Dieppe on May 13th.
Myself and a younger sister are his next of kin. We had been eagerly looking forward to meeting him again, but it was not to be. My husband crossed to France to see him but found him unconscious.
In due time the War Office officials will forward his effects to me. I am trusting that I shall then know all he wished, though I am quite sure he never premeditated that he would meet death the way he did. He was a widower and had adopted a little girl now aged 4½ years, whom he has boarded with friends in Cape Town. He left her behind in their care, providing I believe for her maintenance from his hospital pay. I think you will find 120 days leave was due to him for past service. He had always hoped to utilize this in a visit home, and had, I know, sent in a application to be allowed to spend 40 days of it in England before his retuen to South Africa. Failing to have had this leave I take it that the Government hold themselves responsible for the pay for the same. If this same amount had not been willed away from us, nobody else but my sister and myself can put in a claim for same. Will you please note this.
I shall be very much obliged for any information you can let me have regarding this matter.,
I am,
Yours faithfully
Charlotte Gore nee Ainger.
Regards
Moira
