Richard Shaw
Richard Shaw. 17618, Pte. "D" Coy. 1st Bn. KORLR, KIA 19th June 1915, Ypres, Belgium, age 19yrs.
"Soldiers Died in the Great War" states that a Richard Shaw, born at Ellel, Lancs., was killed on the above date. According to CWGC records he was the son of Emmanuel and Letitia Shaw of Owlett Hall Farm, Waterside, Darwen, Lancs, but the July 1913 Parish Magazine records the baptism of Victor Emmanuel, son of Emmanuel and Letitia Shaw, Grange Road. A report in the "News" 17th July 1915 puts his date of death as 10th June, not 19th. but this appears to be a misprint. The same press report (of a memorial service including Leonard Lancaster (q.v) and Lt. Bigland) states his father was "Mr E. Shaw, late of Town End, Cartmel" and they are recorded there in the 1911 census.
It is the opinion of Mr. Peter Donnelly of the King's Own Museum, Lancaster, that Richard enlisted in the August of 1914 and was a replacement for men of the Regular 1st Bn., which suffered severely at Le Cateau, casualties amounting to 443 officers and men killed, wounded and missing. The highest single day's loss suffered by 1/KORLR in the whole war.
The 1st King's Own, 12th Brigade, 4th Division, was involved in heavy fighting and a severe gas attack at the Battle of Bellewaarde, part of 2nd Ypres at the end of May 1915. The early summer, until July 16th, was spent in trenches on the right of the 4th Division's front, near Turco Farm or in reserve at Peselhoek a mile and a half north of Poperinghe.
The battalion war diary entry for 19th June says that 12th Brigade were allotted new trenches which stretched from Turee Farm to 100 yards East of the Boesinghe road. They were divided into two sectors, the right one to the Lancashire Fusiliers and the Essex Regt., the left sector to the King's Own & South Lancs., with the Royal Irish on the Canal Bank. One Battalion was to be in support trenches at Belle Alliance and one Battalion to rest in billets. On the night of 19th June the battalion relieved the South Lancashires in the left sector - 3 Companies in the front line 1 in support. There is no mention of casualties, but from 12th-18th June, while they were in support trenches, the days were quiet, although there was a considerable amount of night-time sniping.
The Menin Gate, Ypres, Jimmy Bland and Richard Shaw are both commemorated here.
Private Shaw started work in Cartmel as a shop boy for Mr John Teasdale at the Post Office (now the Sticky Toffee Pudding shop), until he was old enough to find a job on a farm. He was in farm service when war broke out and he volunteered.
At the time of his death his brother, David, was working at High Gateside Farm and his elder brother Charlie was ill in hospital in Ireland. Charlie was already serving with the Royal Field Artillery, in India, at the outbreak of war.
Young Richard has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Panel 12.