On Soissons Memorial, Aisne, France is the name of 13820 Private Isaac Pain, M.M.  serving with the 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry who died 29/05/1918.

Pauline Priano has submitted the following;

Isaac Labbett Pain was one of 6 children.

His father William George Pain was born February 15th 1840 at Chelsea, London, where he was married, May 16th 1868 to Sarah Stoyle Labbett, who originated from Coleridge, Devon, where she was born, February 27th 1847 and brought to London by her parents William Labbett and Mary Ann Stoyle.

William George and Sarah initially settled in London where their daughter Elizabeth Ann was born at Camden Town in 1874 and William George Jnr in 1876 at Kentish Town, in the Borough of Camden. Between 1876 and the birth of Mark Labbett Pain in 1879 they had migrated to Normanby, Yorkshire, where in 1881 they occupied 67, West Street, in what is listed as the, “village,” parish of Normanby. William George supported his family working as a general labourer, Elizabeth (7) was a scholar.

Thomas Ebber Pain was born, May 13th 1882 at Grangetown, as were Herbert in 1885 and Isaac Labbett in 1887. Sarah Stoyle Pain nee Labbett died, November 29th 1887 and by 1891widower William George and his children had moved to a new home at 10, Laing Street, in the village of Grangetown, where he was employed as a chimney sweep. Elizabeth (17) is listed as the housekeeper, William George Jnr (14) remained at home and with the exception of Isaac (4) the other children were scholars.

In 1901 William George had moved to 106, North Street, in the town of South Bank, living with him were Thomas (18) a coal trimmer and Herbert (16) who was working as a night watchman and 14 year old Isaac. Elizabeth Ann was married, the whereabouts of William George Jnr were unknown and  Mark Labbett Pain (21) who was employed as a general labourer at New Docks was a patient at Sunderland Infirmary, New Durham Road.

Their father William George Pain died in 1907 at Middlesbrough historically in Yorkshire. At that point in time only Isaac was unmarried and was taken in by his sister Elizabeth Ann Bottrill.

Elizabeth Ann’s husband, Robert W. Bottrill, whom she had married in 1896, died in 1909 leaving her with 6 children, the eldest of whom was 13 the youngest only 3 years old. She remarried, November 19th 1910 at Middlesbrough, to bachelor  William Seale, who was 4 years her junior and a kiln drawer at the brick works. They had moved into 4 rooms at 22, Short Street, South Bank by 1911 where Isaac (23) boarded with them. He was employed as a smelter’s labourer at the steel works.

As early as 1911 there were already rumblings of a possibility of war with Germany which was declared within hours of Germany, as part of a massive attack on France, invaded Belgium violating Belgian neutrality. After a request to Britain by the Belgians for help, London gave Berlin an ultimatum which expired August 4th 1914 at 11 p.m. London time. When this was ignored, King George V then declared war on Germany that same evening.

In answer to Kitchener’s call to arms, men from all walks of life enlisted to serve their Country. Isaac Labbett Pain enlisted at Middlesbrough, as Isaac Pain, September 4th 1914, stating he was 26 years of age and living at 17, Welford Street, Hartlepool nominating his sister Elizabeth Ann Seale, resident at 13, Derby Street, Middlesbrough, as next-of-kin. He was posted to the Durham Light Infantry Depot at Bullwater and appointed as Private 13820. At Bullwater camp he was inoculated, October 6th and 17th 1914.

Private Pain was posted to the 13th Battalion D.L.I. 68th Brigade, 23rd Division which was in Aldershot in November 1914 and had moved to Wellingborough by February 1915 and then to Bramshott in May.

Private Pain crossed to France with his regiment landing at Boulogne, August 28th 1915, concentrating near Tilques. The division moved to Merris-Vieux Berquin area for trench familiarisation under the more experienced 20th and 27th Divisions before taking over the front line sector between Ferme Grande Flamengrie to the Armentieres-Wez-Marquart road. They were spared the huge losses of the disastrous Battle of Loos spending the remainder of the winter of 1915 and early 1916 in the trenches at Armentieres and Souchez, 

At the end of January they were withdrawn to the Bruay sector for a period of rest before returning to front line duty March 3rd 1916, taking over the sector between Boyau de l’Ersatz and the river Souchez from the French 17th Division. Many of the men with mining experience were temporarily transferred during March to a Tunnelling Company  of the Royal Engineers. After a second rest period at Bruay mid April to mid May they again took over in the Souchez sector where the 23rd Division and its artillery were in support during the attack at Vimy Ridge.

June 11th 1916 the Division was moved to the Somme sector beginning intensive training in preparation for the commencement of the Battles of the Somme. Due to commence June 29th but delayed by bad weather, on the morning of July 1st 1916 after two huge detonations in the explosive packed tunnels under the German lines, at 7.30 a.m. the whistles blew and the men went over the top as the Battle of Albert began but the 13th Battalion Durham Light Infantry did not enter into the fighting until July 7th at La Boisselle. 

They were also in action at the Battle of Bazentin Ridge, July 14th-17th, Pozieres, July 23rd-September 3rd, Flers-Courcelette, September 15th-22nd and Le Transloy, October 1st-18th including the capture of Le Sars.

The 23rd Division left France and participated in the Battle of Messines, June 7th-14th 1917 followed by the Battle of Menin Road, September 20th-25th, Polygon Wood, September 26th-October 3rd and the 1st and 2nd Battles of Passchendaele, October 12th and between October 26th-November 10th 1917, all phases of the 3rd Battle of Ypres in Belgium.

Private Isaac Pain was wounded during the final phase of the 2nd Battle of Passchendaele, a gun shot wound to the face and neck. Repatriated to the U.K., October 12th 1917, he was then admitted to the 3rd Northern General Hospital at Sheffield, which had taken over the buildings of the Teachers Training College in Collegate Terrace. 

Once recovered he was posted to the 4th (Reserve) Battalion D.L.I. at Seaham Harbour as part of the Tyne Defences. Whilst at Seaham he acknowledged receipt of his award of the Military Medal, awarded to warrant officers, non commissioned officers and other ranks for gallantry in action against the enemy on land, in relation to his actions at the front in June 1917. The accompanying receipt stated, “ I hereby acknowledge receipt of the Military Medal and declare that in the event of it being lost, stolen or destroyed, no claim for replacement will be made against the public.”

Once sufficiently fit for active service, Private Pain was drafted to France, January 9th 1918, where he was assigned to the 15th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, 64th Brigade, 21st Division, which had left Belgium and returned to France participating during the Cambrai Operations. 

In April 1918 the Division was at rest camp in the French sector but was sent into the front line at the Battle of Aisne, May 27th-June 6th 1918. Private 13820 Isaac (Labbett) Pain was reported as missing/missing and wounded, May 27th-29th 1918 and his sister as next-of-kin was informed. 

After extensive investigations as to his whereabouts Private 13820 Isaac (Labbett) Pain M.M., Durham Light Infantry, was struck off strength and for official purposes, presumed dead, his death having occurred on or since, 27th-29th May 1918. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has adopted the date of May 29th 1918.

His sacrifice is recorded as one of 3,915 names inscribed on the Soissons Memorial, Aisne, France commemorating servicemen of the United Kingdom who died during the Battles of Aisne and the Marne in 1918 and who have no known grave. Private 13820 Isaac (Labbett) Pain M.M. was 31 years of age and single.

His sister Elizabeth Ann Seale received all monies due to her late brother from the Army and his awards of the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, sent to her at Derby Street, Middlesbrough, historically in Yorkshire.

Isaac’s brother Mark Labbett Pain died of a cardiac arrest in 1917 whilst on active service.

In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.

Isaac Labbett Pain is remembered in the D.L.I. Book of Remembrance page 135 as Private I. Paine.