Surgeon Lieutenant R M R Thursfield RN (1885 - 1919)

Richard Mortimer Rowland Thursfield was born in Bridgnorth in 1885, the son of William and Leila. His father was for many years a doctor, practising at 39 High Street. Richard followed in his father's footsteps, studying at Cambridge and at St Bartholomew's Hospital. He joined the navy as a surgeon in 1912, serving for a while on HMS Astrea, a light cruiser. From 1916 he was based ashore - first at the Royal Marine Artillery Infirmary, Portsmouth and then at the Royal Naval Barracks, Devonport.

After the war, Thursfield was part of the intervention force sent to help the White Russians in the civil war which followed the Russian Revolution. He was killed in Bereznili, Archangel, aboard HMS Glowworm. The ship, one of the monitors sent up the River Dvina, was accidentally blown up on 25th August, 1919 when a nearby ammunition barge exploded. The incident was witnessed by Ethelbert Daish whose diary can be read here.

Richard's death was reported in the Bridgnorth Journal on 27th September, 1919.

Surgeon Lieutenant Richard M R Thursfield, B.A. was awarded the Victory and British Medals and the 1915 Star.

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