John was born in Darlington, the youngest of the four children of Frank Paxton Hamilton, a dental surgeon in Darlington and his wife, Marjorie Hampton, also of Darlington whose father had been in the Indian Civil Service and was a Director of a Copper and Brass Works.
He was educated at Repton and Matriculated in 1937. He was awarded the Heath Harrison Scholarship in Modern Languages.
He enlisted at the outbreak of the war and was a Second Lieutenant in the Dorsetshire Regiment when he died of wounds on the night of 27 May and 28 May 1940 in the retreat from France.
He is buried in the Bethune Town Cemetery Plot3. Row LL. Grave 10.
He is commemorated on his parents’ gravestone in Darlington West Cemetery L(1) Row 1 No 5
In loving memory of
FRANK PAXTON HAMILTON
beloved husband of
MARJORIE HAMILTON
of Baydaleside Darlington
died 24th Oct 1943
and of
CHARLES JOHN KERR
beloved husband of
MARIE ELENORE KERR
and Godfather of MARJORIE HAMILTON
died 19th April 1945
and of
MARJORIE HAMILTON
loved by all her family
died 12th October 1982
aged 93 years
and of their youngest son
JOHN RAYNE HAMILTON
2 lieut the Dorsetshire Regt
died of wounds 27th May 1940 aged 21 years
buried at Bethune
In loving memory of
JOAN HAMILTON
who died 20 July 1913 aged 10 months
Barclays Bank applied for probate. He left £1733-15-11.
His father wrote to The Steward on 7 June 1941.