Richard Turner (1885 - 1915)

Richard Turner was born at Beckbury in 1885 where he was baptised on the 25th May. He was the son of Henry Turner, a farm labourer (and later, a roadman for Shifnal District Council). Richard's mother, Hannah (maiden name Fletcher), had been born at Ackleton. She married Richard at Worfield Parish Church on 7th November, 1869.

Richard worked as an agricultural labourer before joining the army. It was possibly while he was on a visit to his married sister, Lucy, who lived in Lancashire, that he went to Burnley and signed up with the East Lancashire Regiment.

As a serving soldier, Richard was one of the first to go to France. On the 22nd of August he was with the 1st East Lancs. Regiment when it landed at Le Havre as part of the 4th Division. During the next three weeks the Division was present at the Battles of Le Cateau, the Aisne and the Marne. It was possibly during one of these battles that Private Turner was wounded. He was returned to England but died of his wounds on the 9th of March, 1915 - maybe at the 3rd London General Hospital. He is buried in Wandsworth (Earlsfield) Cemetery - the cemetery used by that hospital.

Richard married Gertrude (probably Gertrude Smith, Q4 1911 Shifnal RD) but she had died by the time the Commonwealth War Graves Commission registers were drawn up. (She is probably the Gertrude Turner, age 31, who died in Bridgnorth RD Q4 1916.)

Private Richard Turner, 7911, 1st Battalion East Lancs Regt., was awarded the Victory and British Medals and the 1914 Star with Clasp.