Have You a Tiger In Your Family?

Rank : Sergeant

Army Number : 11388 and 7344

Unit : 7th Bn, 1st Bn

Biography :

Douglas Wain served initially with A Company 7th Bn The Leicestershire Regiment during First World War, including transitting through Badajoz Barracks, Aldershot, in 1914, and entering France on 29.7.1915. He later served with 1st Bn, during service in which as a Private he was awarded D.C.M. whilst acting as Company Runner in A Company south of Lagnicourt, France, on 22.3.1918 at the start of the German offensive (L.G. 3.9.1918: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He was sent with a message to a neighbouring unit headquarters [11th Essex]. As it had moved and he was unable to find it, knowing the contents of the message, he showed it to various batteries, who immediately opened fire and dealt with the hostile attack. His splendid courage and initiative in taking the message through heavy artillery and machine-gun barrage to the batteries, was deserving of the highest praise, as his promptness undoubtedly saved a serious situation."). He was discharged due to sickness on 17.12.1918.
After the War he emigrated to Canada. On 29.12.1939 he joined the Regina Rifles in Regina, Saskatchewan, and was transferred to the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. He spent Jan 1940 to Jul 1942 with the RCASC in England, reaching the rank of Sergeant on 1.5.1943 (staff car driver). According to a letter he wrote to the Editor of The Green Tiger which was published in May 1940, on arrival in England in 1940 he was billeted in Aldershot in the same Badajoz Barracks as in 1914. From 26.1.1943 he served at Suffield in Alberta as an Admin Sergeant in 1st Corps Ammunition Park from where he was discharged on 23.10.1943 aged 48 years.
He died in 1975, aged 79 years.

Medal Record: DCM, Victory Medal, British Medal and 1915 Star; Canadian Volunteer medals and Service medals.

This page was last edited on 12.2.2020.

Date of Birth : 14.09.1895

Place of Birth : Possibly in South Africa (registered in Ashford, Kent)

Date of Death : 20.09.1975

Place of Death : Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Civil Occupation : Painter

Period of Service : 1914-18; 1939-43

Conflicts : WW1, WW2

Places Served : France & Flanders, Canada, UK