Private Richard Frederick Hatherley
20943 7th Kings own Royal Lancaster Regiment
Killed in Action 4th July 1916, aged 25
Lived at 17 Rawson Street
Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France
St.Andrews
Memorial, Burnley
born Burnley
and enlisted Nelson.
On the 4th July 1916 the 7th King’s
Own found them selves fighting on the Somme and attacking up Sausage Valley
to the village of La Boisselle. Aided by machine guns and mortars they
advanced against a stubborn defence. By just after noon, only the northern
extremity of the village remained in the enemy hands. Casualties of the
7th Battalion on the 4th July 1916 were 16 men killed, 66 were wounded
and 2 men reported missing, these were remarkably light considering the
success of the Battalion on the 4th July.
SHOT BY SNIPER “One of the
Best and Brightest” (Burnley Express 22/07/16)
On Wednesday evening Mrs. Hatherley,
of 17 Rawson Street, Burnley received an official intimation from the
War Office that her husband, Private Richard Frederick Hatherley, of the
King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment., had been killed in action
on July 4th 1916. Private Hatherley, who was 25 years of age, formerly
worked as a weaver at Messrs. Stuttard’s Shed, and enlisted in September
of last year. He was connected with St. Andrew’s Church and was
well known and highly respected in the Burnley Lane District.
The first news of his death came from his “Pal,” Private A.
Berry, who wrote; “I write these few lines expressing my sympathy
and sorrow with you. On the morning of the 4th your husband was killed
while on action. He and I were going up a trench together when all of
a sudden I heard somebody shout, I turned round, and found that he had
been hit in the head by a bullet. He suffered no pain. He died instantly.
I then set to work and buried him. I made him a very nice grave.”
Private Hatherley’s Officer has written; “I am writing to
tell you how much I sympathise with you in the recent loss. Your husband
was one of the best and brightest men in the Company. It will comfort
you to know that he was killed instantaneously, and suffered no pain.
He was shot by a sniper.”
ROLL OF HONOUR
HATHERLEY-In loving memory of my dear husband, Private Richard F. Hatherley,
who fell in action on the Battle of the Somme, July4th, 1916.
There is a link death cannot
sever,
Love and remembrance will last forever.
-From his sorrowing Wife, and all at 91 Queen Victoria Road.
In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Private Richard F. Hatherley, King’s Own Royal Lancasters, who was killed in the Somme Battle, July 4th1916.
Like the ivy on the withered
oak,
When all things also decay,
Our love for you, dear son and brother,
Will never fade away.
-From his sorrowing Mother and Father, Sisters and Brothers (in France),
and Pelly.
