R. Bache

Richard Bache was born in Middleton Scriven in 1893. He was the son of Richard Bache, a farm labourer, and his wife, Maria. Maria died when Richard was still an infant. His sister, Eliza Jane, then brought up the family.

In 1911, Richard was working as a farm labourer for Robert Bowen of Bird's Hall Farm, Middleton Scriven.

Richard joined the 5th Battalion King's Shropshire Light Infantry and went to France with the battalion in May, 1915. He went missing on 25th September, 1915 and was later presumed to have died in action on that day. The Regimental History records:

[Towards the end of September, 1915, the battalion was in bivouacs two miles north-wast of Poperinghe.] Here rehearsals for an attack were gone through, and on the night 23rd/24th of September the battalion in fighting order, strength 17 officers, 780 other ranks, moved up to Ypres by train. The trenches in Railway Wood were occupied by the battalion in preparation for the attack which was to be made on the following day with the object of holding back German troops from the Battle of Loos.
At 3.50 a.m. on the 24th September our guns bombarded the enemy trenches till 4.20 a.m. Retaliation immediately followed and a bombardment of our trenches was maintained throughout the day, resulting in Captain S. G. Beaumont being killed and 8 other ranks wounded.
At 3.50 a.m. on 25th our artillery again intensely bombarded the enemy trenches and at 4.5 a.m. the battalion was in position for the assault. A and D companies and half B Company with two machine guns and signallers were in company column in front of our own trenches, and half B and C Companies in support in the trenches.
At 4.20 a.m. the assault took place and, as far as the battalion was concerned, was successful in that it carried out its allotted task and reached the second line of enemy trenches. The battalions on the right and left, however, were not able to reach their objectives, and consequently, when the Germans brought up fresh troops for the counter-attack, the position of the 5th K.S.L.I. became untenable, and there was nothing to do but to retire to the original line—or what was left of it—as the trenches had been filled in almost everywhere by the German shell fire. This retirement was effected about 8.15 a.m., the losses being very heavy, so much so that later in the day it was necessary to reinforce the remnants of the battalion by two platoons of the 6th Somerset L.I. The Germans bombarded the trenches heavily up till 1 p.m., and again from 9 p.m. till midnight. Just before midnight the battalion was relieved by the 6th D.C.L.I. and returned to billets near Poperinghe.
The casualties during the attack were 7 officers killed and 5 wounded, 41 other ranks killed, 280 wounded, 100 missing, 7 wounded and missing.

The Bridgnorth Journal reported:

MIDDLETON SCRIVEN SOLDIER MISSING
[Bridgnorth Journal, Saturday 16th October, 1915]
Mr Bache of Middleton Scriven, near Bridgnorth, has received news through the Record Office that his brother, Private Richard Bache of the 5th K.S.L.I. has been missing since 29th[?] September last. Nothing has been heard of him since that date by his friends. It is hoped that he will be found among other units.

Private Richard Bache, 10595, 5th KSLI, was awarded the Victory and British War Medals and the 1915 Star. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.