The unveiling last Sunday of a memorial to the late Mr. Rayner, an assistant master at the Public School for Chinese, served to bring to notice an exceptional character amongst Shanghai people and his history may well be set down in print. Dr. D. MacGillivray referred to him as "a happy warrior," whilst a little group of his more intimate friends seemed at a loss to find words beyond "a most extraordinary character'? with which to describe him.
Mr. Rayner came to Shanghai in 1908. He had splendid certificates and was particularly apt at imparting instruction in mathematies and geography, whilst he was so keen on his work that often he would spend hours devising apparatus wherewith the better to explain things to his classes. He was in the §.V.C. and the Fire Brigade and was an all round athlete, his energy being such that he would frequently go out for a five mile run in the evenings. His holidays he spent on walking tours through China, Japan and Formosa, whilst once he went to Russian Turkestan through Siberia and tramped from Resht over the mountains to Teheran.
When the War broke out he refused a nomination for a commission and went Hlome to enlist as a private soldier. Being blind in the right eye, he was rejected by the Grenadier Guards, but he changed his name and tried again, only to be refused once more. He made several other attempts, but was always rejected until finally, as John J. Meldon, he enlisted. in the %th Batt. Royal Fusiliers. He campaigned for two-and-a-half years in East Africa and, after but four days' leave, was sent to the Cambrai section of the front with the 9th Battalion and was fatally wounded in November, 1917.
Tue CEREMONY, At the unveiling were present Mr. C.F. Garstin, H.B.M. acting Consul-General, Mr. H. G. Simms, Chairman, and Mr. W. P. Lambe, Vice-Chairman of the Municipal Council, Dr.
MacGillivray, Mr.
Kemp, head master of the Public School for Chinese, and several other old associates of Mr. Rayner, many old pupils and a few _personal friends. The school drum and fife band, drawn up outside the main hall, opened the proceedings with the National Anthem and Dr. MacGillivray followed with prayers in English and Chinese.
Mr. Kemp next explained that, in Mr. Rayner's native town of Blackpool, a window had been erected in a church and a scholarship founded in the Grammar School in his memory, whilst in the Public School for Chinese there was a scholarship bequeathed by Mr.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.