Richard's Story.
EARLY LIFE
Richard Espley was born on 18th June 1875 and baptised on 28th November 1877 at Christ Church, Macclesfield, at the same time as his brother John and sister Elizabeth, the son of Christina and Joseph Booth Espley, an insurance agent. In 1881, five year old Richard was living at 39 Armitt Street with his mother and siblings Sarah (18), Herbert (15), John (11), Frederick (8) and Elizabeth (3). Ten years later, the family had moved to 62 Lord Street, and Richard was employed as a silk hand. Richard's father does not appear on either of these censuses; presumably he was working away from home on those days.
Richard was educated at Christ Church School, Macclesfield.
Richard married Edith Elizabeth Wardle at St Michael's Church, Macclesfield on 20th October 1895, stating that he was a blacksmith, and their first child, Winifred May, was born two years later. According to the Cheshire Electoral Registers, the couple initially set up home at 3 Lee Street, Macclesfield, but by 1899 they had moved to 13 Antrobus Street, Congleton, where their second daughter Annie was born in 1900. By 1911 the family had moved again, to 6 Lower Park Street, Congleton, and they then had six children: Winifred Mary/May (14), Annie (10), Edith (9), Frederick (5), Horace (2) and Gertrude (5 months). The family later lived at 55, The Crescent, Congleton and included six children in all: Winifred May, Annie, Edith, Frederick, Horace and Gertrude.
Richard was employed as a blacksmith by Mr. L. Woodcock of Congleton for 14 years and afterwards by Mr. William Pointon, Blacksmith, of Biddulph.
WW1 SERVICE
Richard enlisted in Macclesfield on the 29th August 1914, joining the 2nd Battalion Cheshire Regiment, who were part of the 28th Division, 84th Brigade; after a period of training, he landed in France on 4th May 1915 and travelled to join his Battalion near Ypres in Belgium to participate in the Second Battle of Ypres.
On 8th May, the Battalion was at Verlorenhoek when a heavy bombardment commenced, including the use of poison gas, resulting in over 200 men wounded and almost the same number of men missing. The Battalion regrouped in what had previously been the reserve trenches, about 500 yards to the rear. A draft of men from England, probably including Richard, arrived at Verlorenhoek on 9th May, and the whole Battalion moved to huts to the west of Ypres the following evening. On 11th May they moved to huts near Poperinghe, and on the evening of 12th May they marched to billets at Boenhaert, southwest of Poperinghe. Early on 14th May the Battalion moved to billets at Brandhoek, and on 19th May moved to billets at Herzeele.
The Battalion returned to Brandhoek the next day, and on 24th May proceeded to Ypres, following the railway lines south of the town to the trenches, from where an attack was made on enemy trenches at about midnight.
On 24th May 1915 Richard was admitted to Casualty Clearing Station No. 8, which was just over the French border at Bailleul, with a bullet wound in his shoulder, and the same day was transported to a hospital where he remained for two weeks.
Richard re-joined his regiment in June 1915 and was almost continually in the trenches up to the time he received the injuries which resulted in his death. The battalion war diary states that at the time Private Espley received his injuries, the battalion was having a quiet time, and was not involved in any action; therefore one can only assume that his injuries were due to the actions of a sniper or shell fire.
Extract from the Congleton Chronicle, 1915:
It was on Sunday the 15th of August that his wife received the official message that her husband had succumbed to the terrible injuries to his head, his case being hopeless from the start. News has been received that Private Richard Espley of the 2nd Battalion The Cheshire Regiment has died in hospital at Dixmude. From information to hand, it appears that the nature of his wounds was of such a serious nature that the case was considered hopeless from the start. Private Espley was wounded at Ypres on the 24th of May. He was in hospital a fortnight and then re-joined his regiment, since when he had been almost continuously in the trenches.
On the 14th of August, Mrs. Espley received the following intimation from the hospital at Dixmude: "I am sorry to tell you that your husband was brought into hospital this morning severely wounded in the head. He is quite unconscious and his condition is considered hopeless. Everything that possibly can is being done for him, but I fear the next information will be to say that he is gone."
On the following day, the 15th of August, Mrs. Espley received the following letter from the hospital: "I am sorry to tell you that your husband has just passed away. He has not suffered, being quite unconscious and everything possible has been done for him. Private Espley was buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery in a portion specially set apart for our brave British soldiers. His resting place is marked by a small wooden cross, on which is the name and date of death."
Mrs. Espley wishes to tender her grateful thanks to those who have sent kind messages of sympathy and condolence in her sad bereavement.
COMMEMORATION
Private Richard Espley is buried in Grave Ref. I. C. 57 of the Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension in France. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission holds casualty details for Private Richard Espley, and he is listed on the Imperial War Museum’s Lives of the First World War website.
His widow asked the inscription “THY WILL BE DONE” to be added to his headstone.
Locally, Private Richard Espley is commemorated on the Macclesfield Christ Church School and Congleton war memorials.
Cheshire County Memorial Project would like to thank John and Christopher Pullen for the research on Richard.
Further research by Rosie Rowley, Macclesfield.