34644, Private, Richard GATHERCOLE
Age 31
Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), 32nd Battalion
Killed in Action on Wednesday 4th October 1916
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Born in Lakenheath (Mildenhall Q1-1885 4A:735)
1891 census... Aged 6, he was living at High Street, Lakenheath with his father- Jabez GATHERCOLE [35] a shopkeeper; mother- Hannah (née TRUDGETT) [39]; brother- Jonah [5]; brother- Thomas [3]; sister- Phoebe [1] and a boarder, Robert GATHERCOLE, a widower aged 62. All were born in Lakenheath. 1901 census...Aged 16, farmers son,living at High Street, Lakenheath with his parents (father now a farmer); brothers Jonah and Thomas, sister Hannah P and 3 new siblings; Mary A [10] Emma [9] and brother Luther [3] all born in Lakenheath. Boarder Robert Gathercole is still with them. "Soldiers Died " has his residence as Brandon, but proof of this has not been found. 1911 census...Aged 27, single, farm labourer, living at Back Street, Lakenheath with his parents (father a farmer, mother a grocery shopkeeper); brothers Jonah, Thomas and Luther. The pension card has Miss Sarah ROGERS of Chalk Farm, Lakenheath as guardian of illegitimate child, and his mother at Back Street,then later at High Street, Lakenheath. The child is almost certainly actually twins Wilfred Richard Gathercole ROGERS, and Winifred Sarah Gathercole ROGERS (Q3/1911 Mildenhall 4a:1835) but unfortunately Winifred died before reaching 1 year old.
From the above it is hard to see why he was not included on the war memorial. |
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He enlisted in Lakenheath. On the 4th October 1916 in the Battle of the Somme, the 32nd Service Battalion (East Ham), Royal Fusiliers were at Gird Line, prior to an attack on Bayonet Trench later in the week. However on 4th October the 32nd lost 41 men, of which only 13 have identified graves. The Bury Free Press of 18th August 1917 gave the belated news that Richard, who had been reported missing on 4th September (sic) 1916, was now officially presumed to have died on or since that date. |
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