Ralph Rayner
Encyclopedia
Brigadier Sir Ralph Herbert Rayner MBE
(13 January 1897 - 17 July 1977) was a British
Conservative Party
politician.
Rayner was commissioned into the Duke of Wellington's Regiment
, in which he served as a signals officer. He was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps
in 1916. During the First World War he served on the Western Front and India
. He was seconded to the Indian Army
in 1917 and served in the Third Afghan War
. He transferred to the Royal Corps of Signals
in the 1920s. Between 1928 and 1930 he was ADC to the Marquess of Willingdon, Governor General of Canada
. He was promoted Captain
in 1916 and Major
in 1919 and retired in 1933. He then entered politics and was Member of Parliament
(MP) for Totnes
from 1935 to 1955. He rejoined the Army during the Second World War and reached the rank of Brigadier
.
He was made Deputy Lieutenant
of Devon
in 1952, knighted
in 1956, and became High Sheriff of Devon
in 1958.
He lived at Ashcombe Tower, Devon, situated on a spur of Little Haldon
above the stream known as the Dawlish Water; the tower was built in 1833 as an observatory. Ashcombe Tower house was built in 1934 for Sir Ralph and Lady Rayner, who was a member of the Courtauld family. Brian O'Rorke
was chosen as the architect for the project on the grounds that he had never designed such a house before and would therefore be open to Lady Rayner's ideas. At Ashcombe Tower, the Arts and Crafts style meets Art Deco.
As one of the first British officers to enter Adolf Hitler
's Berlin bunker, the Führerbunker
in World War II, Sir Ralph took a red telephone as a souvenir and used it at Ashcombe Tower.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(13 January 1897 - 17 July 1977) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
politician.
Rayner was commissioned into the Duke of Wellington's Regiment
Duke of Wellington's Regiment
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
, in which he served as a signals officer. He was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in 1916. During the First World War he served on the Western Front and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. He was seconded to the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
in 1917 and served in the Third Afghan War
Third Anglo-Afghan War
The Third Anglo-Afghan War began on 6 May 1919 and ended with an armistice on 8 August 1919. It was a minor tactical victory for the British. For the British, the Durand Line was reaffirmed as the political boundary between the Emirate of Afghanistan and British India and the Afghans agreed not to...
. He transferred to the Royal Corps of Signals
Royal Corps of Signals
The Royal Corps of Signals is one of the combat support arms of the British Army...
in the 1920s. Between 1928 and 1930 he was ADC to the Marquess of Willingdon, Governor General of Canada
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
. He was promoted Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
in 1916 and Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
in 1919 and retired in 1933. He then entered politics and was Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Totnes
Totnes (UK Parliament constituency)
Totnes is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament , using the first-past-the-post voting system....
from 1935 to 1955. He rejoined the Army during the Second World War and reached the rank of Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
.
He was made Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
in 1952, knighted
Knight Bachelor
The rank of Knight Bachelor is a part of the British honours system. It is the most basic rank of a man who has been knighted by the monarch but not as a member of one of the organised Orders of Chivalry...
in 1956, and became High Sheriff of Devon
High Sheriff of Devon
The High Sheriff of Devon is the Queen's representative for the County of Devon, a territory known as his bailiwick. Selected from three nominated people, he holds his office over the duration of a year. He has judicial, ceremonial and administrative functions and executes High Court...
in 1958.
He lived at Ashcombe Tower, Devon, situated on a spur of Little Haldon
Haldon
The Haldon Hills, usually known simply as Haldon, is a ridge of high ground in Devon, England. It is situated between the River Exe and the River Teign and runs northwards from Teignmouth, on the coast, for about until it dwindles away north west of Exeter at the River Yeo, just south of Crediton...
above the stream known as the Dawlish Water; the tower was built in 1833 as an observatory. Ashcombe Tower house was built in 1934 for Sir Ralph and Lady Rayner, who was a member of the Courtauld family. Brian O'Rorke
Brian O'Rorke
Brian O'Rorke was an architect and interior designer born in Wellington, New Zealand.Educated in engineering and architecture at Cambridge University, O'Rorke did the acclaimed design of a music parlor and London's Mayor Gallery...
was chosen as the architect for the project on the grounds that he had never designed such a house before and would therefore be open to Lady Rayner's ideas. At Ashcombe Tower, the Arts and Crafts style meets Art Deco.
As one of the first British officers to enter Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
's Berlin bunker, the Führerbunker
Führerbunker
The Führerbunker was located beneath Hitler's New Reich Chancellery in Berlin, Germany. It was part of a subterranean bunker complex which was constructed in two major phases, one part in 1936 and the other in 1943...
in World War II, Sir Ralph took a red telephone as a souvenir and used it at Ashcombe Tower.