Richard's Story.
Zanvoorde Monument - Photograph taken by Mavis Williams on 8th April 2017
According to Richard's Army Service Papers in both 1911 and 1912 when he enlisted his birth year would have been circa 1894, but according to the 1901 census when Richard first appears on the censuses, he is age 10, meaning he was born circa 1891.
The 1901 census shows the family living at Back Bridge Street, Saltney (Lache-cum-Saltney) Hawarden 2 rooms, in the house. Head of the household, James Rathbone, 46 had been born in Chester and was a General Labourer, as had his wife Harriet, 40. I believe they had married in a Civil Marriage in Chester in 1893 (ROC/31/105). Their son Richard Henry, 10, daughter May, 7 and daughter Harriet, 5 had all been born in Saltney, Flintshire.
The 1911 census sees the family still in Bridge Street, Saltney, still 2 Room, but as James filled in the census, or should have done, he was wrong on the ages of himself and Harriet, he states he was now 39, still a General Labourer and had been born in Possibly Handbridge, the writing was bad, so it is a guess. Harriet as well was younger at age 36. Son Richard, now 16 was a General labourer, daughter May, 14 was "at Home", son Hubert*, 12 and son James, 7 were at school and jhad also been born in Saltney.
* If you look at Richard's Service Papers, he states that he had a brother Walter, Is this the Walter who is mentioned on Richard's Army papers as his brother? Enumerator's error?
It appears that the year of the 1911 census Richard enlisted into the 5th Bn Cheshire Regt.
ATTESTATION dated 7th July 1911 at Chester when he joined the 5th Bn Cheshires. Richard was then 17 years and 7 months old. He worked at the Stone Works, Saltney,Chester. His address was 5, Bridge Street, Saltney.
Next Paper - Record of an Accident on the 27th February 1912 , he was discharged on the 8th March 1912. Wound to Calf and eyebrow, (writing very faded) I think it says " Accident not on Duty, Rd. Local."
Next Paper - Medical History, paper part of Richard's attestation in 1912. Became non-effective by "Died, Buried at Donai, Germany on 26th January 1915. Colonel i/c Infantry Records. No.,4 District.
Then a year later in 1912 he enlisted again:-
ATTESTATION - Paper badly ripped or burnt at edges.
Richard, RATHBONE, 3 Bn???
Name- Richard Rath???
In the Parish of Saltney near the Town of Chester. In the County of Cheshire.
Age- 18 years, 9 months.
Trade or Calling - Labourer, Cement Works.
Do you belong to any Navy, Army etc. - Yes 5th Bn. Cheshire Regt. In L???. I am still serving.
Dated 6th day of January 1912 at Wrexham.
Next Paper - History Sheet.
???12 to 8th September 1914
Names & Addresses of Next-of-Kin, all living at 1, Bridge Street, Saltney, Cheshire.:-
James Rathbone Father
Harriett Rathbone Mother
James Rathbone Brother
Walter Rathbone Brother
Mary Rathbone Sister
Harriett Rathbone Sister
Next Paper - Statement of Services of No. 4521
Service towards engagement reckons from:- 6th January 1912
R.W.F. 3 Bn Attested Private 6th January 11912
Fusiliers 3rd. Forfeited 4 days pay Pte. From 11th February 1912 to 14th February 1912
Fusiliers 3rd Forfeited 1 days pay Pte. From 10th April 1912 to 10th April 1912
Fusiliers 3rd Completed 4 months Training Pte. From 6th January 1912 to 10th May 1912
Fusiliers 3rd Completed Recruits Musketry Pte From 17th May 1912 to 16th June 1912
Fusiliers 3rd PRESENT 1912
Fusiliers 3rd PRESENT 1913
Rubberstamp - Mobilized at Wrexham 8th August 1914*
Rubberstamp - Posted 1st Bn. 19th September 1914*
Written across page was:- Asked for Docs 19th February 1915
* I suspect this meant he attended annual training camps
Next paper - Description of Richard RATHBONE on Enlistment
Age 18years, 9 months
Height- 5 feet 4 and 3/4 inches.
Weight - 116 lbs
Chest when fully expanded, 34 inches range of expansion - 2 inches.
Eyes - Grey
Hair - Brown.
Religion - C of E.
Cert. of Primary examination 2nd January 1912
Form signed on the 6th January 1912 at Wrexham. 3rd Bn. R.W.F.
Next Paper- Mr. J. Rathbone , 4, Bridge St., Saltney, Chester signed paper regarding Richard's War medals. Signed 16th July 1921.
Next Paper - Regarding Richards personal property to be sent to Mr. James Rathbone at 4, Bridge St., Saltney, from War Office London to Infantry, Shrewsbury. Dated 23rd December 1915
Next paper - Mr. James Rathbone acknowledging receipt of 14 Star dated ??Y 19th 1919
Next Paper - Mr. James Rathbone, 5, Bridge Street, Saltney, acknowledging receipt of the Memorial Scroll dated 24th December 1919.
Many more papers, some ripped and some more copies of Attestation etc., but there is a Casualty Form:-
Which states - Date 26th January 1915, W.Office Killed in Action, Buried at Doune (paper ripped), Place - not stated.
UK, Soldiers Died in the Great War, 1914-1919 about Richard Rathbone confirms his regimental information and tells us that he was born in Saltney, Chester and enlisted in Wrexham.
British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 about Richard Rathbone tells us he was awarded the Victory & British War Medals but does not tell us where his first Theatre of War was, but tell us that he entered it on the 20th October 1914 and he Died whilst a Prisoner of War and he was Killed in Action.
Flintshire WW1 Index Cards (Saltney Ferry F 29)
RATHBONE, Richard, 5, Bridge Street, Saltney. 4521 R.W.F. 1st. Private. Killed in Action 30th October 1914**. Card signed by Mr. RATHBONE*, 30th October 1919.
* Was this Richards father or his brother James who filled in and signed both cards whilst he was there filling his own in? (see below)
** There is a discrepancy with the date of Richard's death, on his Flintshire WW1 Index Card filled in and signed by his family, he is said to have died on the 30th October 1914, but on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Grave Registration Documents - Registers, he is shown as having died on the 26th January 1915.
I know that during the early part of the war so many men died the paperwork could not keep up and also the memorial was for men who had no known grave, and as he was a P.O.W., I am speculating that he may have been missing on 30th October 1914 and was then presumed dead on the 26th January 1915. However, there is another mystery, as he is remembered on the Ploegsteert Memorial in Belgium, but his service records state he was buried in Germany, whilst being a P.O.W.
However, as usual, when I have a problem understanding or wanting more information on a Soldier or anything to do with Army, I asked the question about his death and burial in two different places on http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums and these are the replies:-
Chris_Baker from the Great War Forum
Posted Yesterday 12th October 2104, 03:21 PM
Red Cross records show that he was buried by the Germans at Douai in France.
Centurion:-
Posted Yesterday, 12th October 2104 03:51 PM
Even though the burial was notified the grave could still have been lost so that he has no memorial other than that at Ploegsteert.
Centurion:-
Posted Today,13th October 2014 12:52 PM
The grave could very easily be lost. If he died as a POW he would at best be buried with some form of wooden marker but he could be in a mass grave. Doubtless the German authorities might have kept some form of record but this could easily be lost when they pulled back to Germany in 1918 and if the CWGC don't have a record I'd guess that it is lost. The Red Cross, as Chris has indicated would be notified of the death but not a grave location. The fact that he died in Douai in France and not in Germany suggests that he was probably wounded before capture and could well be buried in a grave yard associated with a hospital rather than a POW camp graveyard (most of which men seem to have been reburied after the war and recorded by the CWGC)
Posted Today 13th October 2014 , 09:18 PM
Rathbone was reported missing on 30 October 1914. As he landed on 20 October (the main battalion had arrived on 7 October) it may be that he was one of 90 men who were the only reinforcement to reach the unit in this period, on about 24 October.
The 1st RWF had suffered quite heavy losses in the Battle of Ypres before then, and the 400 or so remaining men were in muddy slit trenches on a forward slope near Zandvoorde village. Their view was restricted by hedges and they had little cover. That morning the enemy artillery blasted them, and a massive infantry attack came forward. The cavalry unit on the flank was equally pounded and pulled back, which uncovered the RWF's right. As well as the enemy in front, German Jager troops now came round behind them; and by noon the unit had ceased to exist.
A few managed to escape and that evening about 86 men were left, of whom half were transport and rear echelon personnel. 10 officers 320 other ranks were missing: most had been killed, though some 4 officers and 50 other ranks were taken prisoner, all wounded.
Clive
# Chris_Baker - Posted Today, 13th October 2014 02:50 PM
Have a read of this, Mavis: http://www.1914-1918...diers/icrc.html
Anyone searching for Red Cross Records, please use the website http://grandeguerre.icrc.org/ and to help in that please go to http://www.1914-1918.net/soldiers/icrc.html for help.
30th October 1914: Sequence of Events.
0645 – 0800 hrs. 260 heavy enemy guns bombard Zandvoorde.
0830 hrs. Large number of German Infantry advance downhill toward 1st R.W.F. from east and southeast. They are kept at bay all morning, never closing to the Battalion’s front. Massive German Infantry assault on Zandvoorde (39 Division and 2 Jager Battalions). The four squadrons of 1st and 2nd Life Guards are ordered to withdraw, but the two forward squadrons and the Royal Horse Guards machine guns are annihilated. (On the site of the Household Cavalry Memorial – see photo).
0900 hrs. Having occupied Zandvoorde, the enemy were 200 yards to south west (i.e. behind 1st R.W.F.). They then closed up and fired on A Company from 30 yards from behind a hedge.
Approx. 0930 hrs Hal and Claude Dooner, his Adjutant, are killed.
1000 hrs. Two German field guns fire from Zanvoorde ridge directly into 1st R.W.F.’s shallow* trenches.
By 1200 hrs. The Battalion’s resistance ends.
*R.W.F. were short of shovels to dig trenches!
Richard's brother* James was also in the war but he survived:-
Flintshire WW1 Index Cards (Saltney Ferry L 180)
Rathbone, James, 5, Bridge Street, Saltney, 417579 911th A.E. Coy. Period of Service 4 years 7 months. Private. Served in France 3 years 7 months, 12 months Home Service. Card signed by Mr. Rathbone, 30th October 1919.
We were contacted by Richard's Great Nephew Steve Rathbone, who tells us that this was not Richard's brother, James, but his father, please read an excerpt of Steve's letter to us. Many thanks Steve.
*I do know that the James Rathbone you mentioned as his brother is actually his father who joined up on hearing of his son Richard's death. He served in the Lancashire Regiment as a Groom. I have a large regimental photo of him. As a young child I remember a similar photo of Richard with a Bear Skin Busby but it got mislaid, something my father was very annoyed about.
Many Thanks
Steve Rathbone