WW1 Casualty: Lance Corporal 1855 Richard Greenall - Lance Corporal 1855 Richard Greenall
Picture from Prescot Reporter, courtesy of Ste M.
| Unit/Regiment |
1st/5th Bn., South Lancashire Regiment |
| Date of Death |
03/05/1915 |
Age at Death |
30 |
Burial/Memorial
& Reference |
Menin Gate
Panel 37 |
| Census Details |
1901 Census -
Richard Greenall had been born in Widnes, and the census shows him living at 101 Stanhope Street, St. Helens. The family was Edwin (50, an engine driver), Mary (53), and their children Hannah (23), Thomas (18), Richard (16), Albert (14) and Edwin (12)
1911 Census -
Richard lived at 55, Beaconsfield Street, Prescot, with his wife, Mary, and 1 year old daughter, Edna. Richard was a Copper Wire Turner at the Wire Works |
| Birth/Marriage/Death Registrations |
Marriage to Mary Elizabeth Price recorded in Prescot, Q2/1909 |
| SDGW - Where Born |
Widnes, Lancs |
| Enlisted |
Widnes |
| Resided |
Prescot |
| How Died |
Killed in Action |
Theatre of War |
France & Flanders |
| Research Ref. No. |
P131 |
Service DetailsThe 5th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment, had just started its annual training in camp when war broke out in August 1914. It was sent to Edinburgh until October, then moved to Tunbridge Wells until February 1915. It was then ordered to France, sailing on the 13th aboard s.s. King Edward. Arriving at Le Havre the same day.
Over the next few days the battalion marched to billets at Le Bizet, and then undertook instruction in trench warfare. The system was for companies from a battalion to be attached to other battalions for spells in the line, before the sector was allocated to the battalion on its own. In addition to the trench duty, the battalion undertook its share of pioneer work and training in rapid fire.
The Battalion was moved around regularly without seeing action, until 28th April when it was moved to Vlamertinghe, Belgium in readiness to take part in the 1st Battle of Ypres, which had started on the 22nd.
On 2nd May, the Germans launched a violent attack, accompanied by a cloud of chlorine gas, and the battalion was moved into the line for the first time. On 3rd May, it was moved to the new line in front of Wieltje, and then on the 4th it was again moved to Shell Trap Farm. At dawn, they engaged the Germans but by 4pm the enemy was within 400 yards of the British lines, from where they began a heavy bombardment of the British lines.
More shell fire continued through the next day, culminating in heavy concentrated fire about 5 p.m. which resulted in a considerable number of men being buried, many of them killed and wounded. The enemy fire continued until midnight and four attempts were made by the Germans to take the farm, but all were repulsed.
Lance Corporal Greenall would have been killed in the fighting at Wieltje. His body was never identified and he is remembered on the Menin Gate memorial.
A list of Prescot men reported killed which appeared in the Liverpool Daily Post on 31st May 1915
Prescot Reporter 14th September 1917
Richard Greenall's Medal Index Card
Richard Greenall's inscription on the Menin Gate
The Register of Soldiers Effects listed Richard's wife, Mary, as next of kin
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