Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Thomas Wain, a gardener’s assistant, born on the 6th January 1862 in Long Whatton, Leicestershire and his wife Ellen Wain (nee Wilkins, married in the 4th quarter of 1879 in the Loughborough, Leicestershire district), a framework knitter, born in the 3rd quarter of 1861 in Long Whatton. David, a schoolboy, was born in the 2nd quarter of 1884 in Long Whatton, his siblings were, Albert, a schoolboy, born in the 3rd quarter of 1880 and Eli, a schoolboy, born on the 2nd May 1882, the latter two siblings were both born in Long Whatton, Reuben, a schoolboy, born in the 4th quarter of 1886 in Loughborough and John, born on the 1st May 1889, in Long Whatton, in April 1891 the family home was at South Side, Turvey Middle Row, Long Whatton. In March 1901 David was absent from the family home at Survy Lane, Long Whatton, residing there was his widowed father, a horticultural labourer and his sibling, Reuben, an assistant time clerk, David was at this time employed as a farm cow boy and was residing as a servant at Lady Gate, Diseworth, Leicestershire. On the 3rd August 1908, David married Sarah Ellen Thompson in St. Michael and All Angel’s Church, Diseworth. In April 1911 David’s family home was at Sheppards Yard, Long Whatton, residing there was his father, a framework knitter, his stepmother, Edith Wain (nee Cartlidge, married in the 4th quarter of 1904 in the Loughborough, Leicestershire district), born 1873 in Long Whatton, and their adopted daughter, Gladys Edith Bexon, born 1909 in Loughborough, Leicestershire, David, meanwhile was employed as a collier and was residing in his family home at Doe Lea, Derbyshire, together with his wife Sarah, born on the 26th June 1887 in Diseworth, and their daughter Hilda, born on the 10th February 1909 in Doe Lea, David and Sarah had the following further children, Doris, born on the 27th May 1911 and Gladys Laura, born on the 8th December 1913, all the children were born in Derbyshire. David’s father and stepmother later resided at Malt Cottages, Long Whatton. David’s widow was awarded a weekly Army pension for herself and her children of twenty shillings and six pence to commence on the 13th March 1916. In the 2nd quarter of 1919, Sarah married George W. Webster in the Mansfield, Nottinghamshire district. David’s younger brother, William Wilkins fell in action on the 1st July 1916.
David’s Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he had been a Reservist, and was mobilized on the outbreak of war and posted to the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, being allotted the service number 7090. It was with this Battalion that he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 9th September 1914. Nothing further is known of his military service until he was officially recorded as having died in hospital from enteric on the 4th September, 1915. He was buried in Etaples Military Cemetery in the Pas de Calais, France. David was awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp and Rose, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
On Wednesday September 15th, 1915 The Leicester Daily Post published the following article under the heading. “LEICESTERSHIRE AND THE WAR.” – ROLL OF HONOUR. – News has come to hand from the chaplain and matron of a hospital in France of the death there, on September 4th, from enteric fever, of Private D. WAIN, of the 1st Leicester’s, third son of Mr. Thomas Wain, of Long Whatton. Pte. Wain was a reservist, and called up at the commencement of the campaign, was one of the first to go out with his regiment. Mr. T. Wain had four sons serving with the colours, Sergeant J. Wain, now in India, and Pte’s E. Wain and W. Wain, now in France. Pte. D. Wain was 31 years of age, and leaves a wife and three children, whose home is at Doe-lea, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire.
On Friday September 17th 1915 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – LONG WHATTON SOLDIER’S DEATH. – News has come to hand from the chaplain and matron of a hospital in France of the death there, on September 4th, from enteric fever, of Private D. Wain, of the 1st Leicesters, third son of Mr. Thomas Wain, of Long Whatton. Pte. Wain was a reservist, and, called up at the commencement of the campaign was one of the first to go out with his regiment. Mr. T. Wain had four sons serving with the colours. Sergeant J. Wain, now in India, and Pte’s E. Wain amd W. Wain, now in France. Pte D. Wain was 31 years of age, and leaves a wife and three children, whose home is at Doe-lea, near Chesterfield, Derbyshire.