RICHARD ANDREW CAMPBELL 

Richard Andrew Campbell was born in Birkenhead, in 1889, the son of Ophilia Campbell. His mother was born in Co. Louth, Ireland, in 1851, and had married there in 1871. She went on to have 10 children, of which 2 died. By 1882, Ophilia Campbell had moved with her family, to Birkenhead, and by 1911, she was a widow, and living at 6, Gladstone Road, Seacombe, Wallasey, with 5 of her surviving children: Minnie Campbell (born in Down Patrick, Co. Down, Ireland, in 1880); (all subsequent children were born in Birkenhead) Josephine Campbell (born in 1882); Maggie Campbell (born in 1888); Richard Andrew Campbell (born in 1889); and Lawrence Campbell (born in 1891). Josephine Campbell was employed as a Plain Sewer; Maggie Campbell as a Fancy Goods Shop Assistant; Richard Andrew Campbell was employed in the Vernon Flour Mill’s, Birkenhead Docks; and Lawrence Campbell was an unemployed Lift Attendant. By 1915, they were living at 187, Beckwith Street, Birkenhead.

 

Richard Andrew Campbell enlisted into the Cheshire Regiment at Wallasey, on 19th March 1915, and on completion of his training, was sent to France, on 14th July 1915. A draft of 20 men joined the 2nd Bn Cheshire Regiment, at Locre, Belgium, on 6th August 1915, and Private Campbell might have been part of this draft. He continued to serve with the 2nd Bn Cheshire Regiment until 3rd October 1915, when his battalion was holding positions which they mistakenly thoought was The Chord trench, near to the Hohenzollern Redoubt, Loos. The German’s attacked their position from a trench known as Little Willie, and took them by surprise, and forced them to retire across open country. As they were doing so, the German’s shot down any of the withdrawing Cheshire’s. Private Campbell was killed in action sometime during the German’s attack on 3rd October 1915.


His body was never recovered and identified from the battlefield, and is therefore commemorated by name only on Panel’s 49 & 50, The Loos Memorial, France.

Private Campbell’s medal entitlement consisted of Memorial Plaque, 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal.


Family application form requesting Richard to be added to the Birkenhead War Memorial.

He is also commemorated on the Vernon Flour Mill war memorial.

Researched and compiled by Peter Threlfall.