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 On this day. In memory of 11977 Private Robert Richardson, 2nd Battalion Border Regiment


Selwyn

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On Saturday Sept. 25th 1915 at Loos, in Picardy, the 2nd Infantry Brigade consisting of Gordon Highlanders, the Devon Regiment and the Borderers, was ordered to break into the German trench system near the village of Hulloch and then to seize the crossings of the La Basee canal beyond the German reserve line. According to the Border Regiment's battalion diary, the attackers assembled in the trenches opposite their objectives during the night of September 24th - 25th. At 5.50 am the British bombardment began with gas and shortly afterwards the first wave of infantry went forward, masked and helmeted against the poisonous fumes. But despite the heaviest shelling of the war so far, the enemy was present in strength. The Gordons and the Devons reached the German trenches but could get no further. The Borderers were counter shelled from the moment the attack began and took heavy casualties. At no point were the German defences seriously weakened and the Borderers fell in hundreds. By mid day it was clear the attack had failed. The British infantry were ordered to dig-in where they were and sappers put up barbed wire before them. At midnight, in heavy rain, the Germans counter attacked and regained the lost ground. Robert was killed early in the action  He was thirty-three and left a wife and three young daughters. 

 

Robert was my great grandfather. He was buried on the battlefield  in a marked grave, with the location being recorded. But unfortunately another three years of war led to the grave markers being  lost. so the family knows which field he is in, but not where his grave actually is.

 

His middle daughter Emily was my grandmother. She died aged 99 in 2012.

 

11977 Private Robert Richardson killed in action Saturday Sept. 25th 1915, commemorated at Loos memorial, Loos-en-Gohelle, panel 68 & 69, on the road between Lens and Bethune. 

 

Selwyn

 

 

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:poppy:   RIP

 

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; 
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 
At the going down of the sun and in the morning 
We will remember them."

Edited by RAF4EVER
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12 minutes ago, RAF4EVER said:

 

 

:poppy:   RIP

 

"They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; 
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. 
At the going down of the sun and in the morning 
We will remember them."

Amen

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