Sergeant William Bernard Traynor VC
Sergeant William Traynor earned his Victoria Cross for a rare night action during the Second Boer War. His decoration was also the only VC awarded to a non-commissioned officer or private soldier from the West Yorkshire Regiment during the conflict. Furthermore, I am pleased to say that I am the proud owner of his medal group having bought it at auction in 2012.
William Bernard Traynor was born in Hull, Yorkshire (now in the East Riding of Yorkshire), on December 31, 1870. He was the son of Francis Traynor, a flax dresser originally from Ireland’s County Monaghan, and his wife Rebecca (née Longfield). After being educated at Pryme Street Roman Catholic School in Hull, Traynor Jr worked as a labourer.
On November 14, 1888, Traynor, just a month short of his 18th birthday, joined the 2nd Battalion, West Yorks Regiment (the Prince of Wales’s Own Regiment) at Beverley, Yorkshire (also now East Riding). From January 1891, he served with his regiment in India, including postings to the garrisons at Mooltan, Lahore and Lucknow. On June 12, 1897, back in Britain, he married Jane Martin, and the couple went on to have two daughters and four sons – including twin boys.
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