RICHARD JACKSON was born on the 22nd of September 1883 and baptised at St Luke’s Church, Eccleshill on the 2nd of December 1883. He was the son of Mark and Matilda Jackson of Undercliffe. Mark at the age of 23 years of age had firstly married Emma Wilson but she died in 1873. Mark married Mathilda Wardman at St Luke’s Church, Eccleshill on the 30th of April 1876. In 1881 the family were living at 85 Killinghall Road and two children had been born, Annie Rebecca and Emma in 1879. By 1891 the family had moved to 7 Charnwood Road where they were to remain for the next 20 years. Three more children had been born, Richard, Edith and Charlesworth. At the age of 17 Richard was

working as a plasterer for his father who was a Master Plasterer In 1905 Richard joined the Royal Navy and served for five years travelling all over the world. After leaving the Navy he returned home in early 1911 and found work as a carriage brake examiner. Richard enlisted in the Regular Army on the 6th June 1912 as Private 9709 in the 2nd Battalion of the Prince of Wales West Yorkshire Regiment. At the outbreak of war the Regiment was stationed in Malta. They landed at Southampton on the 25th of September 1914 as part of the 23rd Brigade in the 8th Division and on the 5th of November arrived at Le Havre for service on the Western Front.

Richard saw action at Neuve Chapelle from the 10th of March to the 13th 1915 during the first large scale attack of the War by the British. His Regiment was also among the front line troops during another British offensive at Aubers Ridge on the 9th/10th of May. Richard was killed in action on the 18th of July 1915. He was 32 years of age. His parents received a letter from Captain Harrison who said “I very much regret to have to inform you that your son Pte R Jackson was killed yesterday evening. “He was shot through the lungs and died almost at once without pain. “The Officers, non-commissioned

Officers and the men of his Company wish to join me in offering sympathy to you in your great loss. He was a good soldier and comrade and his loss will be felt by us all.” Richard is buried at Ration Farm Military Cemetery. For much of the War Ration Farm was just over 1 kilometer behind the front line. The old cemetery was begun in February 1915. In April 1923 the graves were moved into the present cemetery at the request of the French Authorities. Although the War Office notified his parents of his death and there is no trace of a marriage in any British records, Richard left his effects to his widow Clara who received £11.0.7d on the 18th November 1915 and a War Gratuity of £5.0.0d on the 3rd July 1919.

. Researched and written by Jean Britteon, to whom many thanks