Oswald Rayner

Oswald Rayner

Oswald Rayner (1889, Smethwick, Staffordshire - 1961, Botley, Oxfordshire) was a British MI6 agent in Russia during World War I. He later went on to be the Daily Telegraph correspondent in Finland.[1]

Oswald Theodore Rayner was born in Smethwick the son of Thomas Rayner, a draper and his wife Florence.[2]

He is believed to have been involved in the final murder plot against Rasputin, and according to a recent investigation might be the person who fired the shot that actually killed Rasputin.[3]

Oswald Rayner studied at Oxford University in England where he first met his friend and accomplice Prince Felix Yusupov. Later he did an English translation of Yusupov's book about Rasputin.[4] He named his only son, John Felix Rayner, after Yusupov.

References

  1. ^ As to his date of birth, note the following: The Manuscript and picture unit of Åbo Akademi university library in Turku, Finland, has letters written by Oswald Rayner (635 letters in all). In a letter dated 13.1.1921 he states he is 32 years old and 24.11.1922 he says he is 34 years old. The year of his birth is thus most probably 1888. His birth was registered in the first quarter of 1889 so could be in the last few weeks of 1888 or early 1889.
  2. ^ 1891 Census of Kings Norton, RG12/2363, Folio 42, Page 27, Oswald Theodore Rayner, aged two, 89 Soho Street, Smethwick.
  3. ^ Miller, Karyn (September 19, 2004). "British spy 'fired the shot that finished off Rasputin'". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/09/19/wras19.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/09/19/ixworld.html. Retrieved 2007-09-07. 
  4. ^ Rasputin; His Malignant Influence and His Assassination by Youssoupoff, Prince. (Translated from the Russian by Oswald Rayner) Florin books series. Publisher: Cape repr 1934


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