1885 - 1916
CPL David Wallace Crawford
1887 - 1916
Lce-Corpl John Joseph Nickle
1894 - 1916
Pte 17911 Morton Neill
1897 - 1916
Lieut Edward Stanley Ashcroft
1883 - 1918
Pte 51896 Richard Edward Banks
- Age: 34
- From: Scarisbrick, Lancs
- Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
- K.I.A Tuesday 30th April 1918
- Commemorated at: Voormezeele Cem Encl No. 3
Panel Ref: XVI.A.27
The 1891 Census shows Richard aged 8 as stepson living with William Houghton and family at Drummersdale, Scarisbrick.His step father William Houghton is a 42 year old farm labourer born in Scarisbrick, whilst his mother Ellen is 37. Richard's half-siblings are listed as; Catherine Houghton 3 born in Scarisbrick, and Henry Houghton aged 1 also born in Scarisbrick.
On 10th January 1893 aged 9 he changes schools at Bescar.
The 1901 Census shows 17 year old Richard as Richard E. Houghton (not Banks) with his step family at Black Moss Farm Scarisbrick, his occupation is shown as a slate layer. Stepfather William Houghton is a 52 year old labourer, his mother Ellen is now 47 years of age and his half-siblings are recorded as; Henry 11 Peter 9, Elizabeth 4 and Ellen 11mths (all born Scarisbrick).
The 1911 Census shows Richard aged 27, he is shown as a farm labourer and as a stepson to William Houghton but is now declared as Richard Ed. Banks not Houghton at Jacks Mere Lane, Scarisbrick. Stepfather William Houghton is declared as a 62 farm labourer, mother Ellen is shown as 58 years of age. They advise that they have been married 25 years and have had 7 children of whom 6 have survived. Richard's half-siblings living in the household are recorded as; Henry, a 21 farm labourer, Peter, a 19 farm labourer, Elizabeth 14 is at school, and Ellen 10 is also at school
His stepfather died in the September quarter of 1915, aged 66.Richard enlisted in Seaforth, Liverpool initially joining the 6th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. After a transfer he was was serving in the 17th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 51896 when he was killed in action on the 30th April 1918, aged 34, during the German Spring Offensive.
The Battalion diary describes the events of the day:
VOORMEZEELE DEFENCES
30th April 1918
The Battalion still holding G.H.Q.1 line. At various times during the day small parties of the enemy crept forward with Machine Guns and were engaged by Lewis Guns and rifle fire. Also concentrations of enemy were dispersed by artillery shoots directed from Battn H.Q.
Richard now lies in Voormezeele Cemetery Encl No 3, France. The inscription on his headstone reads:
“HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE”
The Voormizeele Enclosures (at one time there were a total of four, but now reduced to three) were originally regimental groups of graves, begun very early in the First World War and gradually increased until the village and the cemeteries were captured by the Germans after very heavy fighting on 29 April 1918.
Voormezeele Enclosure No.3, the largest of these burial grounds, was begun by the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in February 1915. Their graves are in Plot III, the other Plots from I to IX are the work of other units, or pairs of units, and include a few graves of October 1918. Plots X and XII are of a more general character. Plots XIII to XVI were made after the Armistice when graves were brought in from isolated sites and smaller cemeteries to replace the French graves (of April and September 1918) that were removed to a French cemetery. These concentrated graves cover the months from January 1915 to October 1918, and they include those of many men of the 15th Hampshires and other units who recaptured this ground early in September 1918.
There are now 1,611 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in Voormezeele Enclosure No.3. 609 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 15 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of five casualties whose graves in PHEASANT WOOD CEMETERY could not be found on concentration.
The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.
Richard's mother died on 18th July 1939 in Scarisbrick, probate to son Henry, a teamsman and daughter Ellen (spinster).
Richard is also commemorated on the following Memorials:
St Mark’s and St Elizabeth’s Church, Scarisbrick,.
Scarisbrick Roll of Honour
Ormskirk War Memorial.
We currently have no further information on Richard Edward Banks, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.
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(109 Years this day)Saturday 28th October 1916.
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