Richard Ramsden
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
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Richard Ramsden was born in 1895 in Creswell, Derbyshire and was the son of William a coal miner and Emma Ramsden née Steedman, of 14 Lowpit Lane, Whitwell. His father William was born in 1860 in Everton, Nottinghamshire and his mother Emma Steedman was born in 1861 in Retford, Nottinghamshire, they were married in 1883 their marriage was recorded in the Doncaster Registration District. They went on to have 15 children, sadly 5 of whom died in infancy, their surviving children were Sidney b1880 Doncaster, John b1884 Royston, Thomas Burnett b1886 Clowne, William b1890 South Emswall, Frank b1892 Creswell, George b1894 Clowne, Richard b1895 Creswell, Joseph b1898 Whitwell, Harry b1899 Whitwell and Hellener b1904 Whitwell. In the 1911 census the family are living at 14 Low pit Lane Whitwell and are shown as William 51 yrs a coal miner, he is living with his wife Emma 50 yrs and their children John 27 yrs a coal miner, Thomas Burnett 25 yrs a coal miner, William 21 yrs a colliery road man, Frank 19 yrs a coal miner, George 17 yrs a colliery pony driver, Richard 16 yrs a colliery pony driver, Joseph 13 yrs a green grocers errand boy, Harry 12 yrs a scholar and Hellener 7 yrs a scholar.
Private Richard Ramsden, M.M., enlisted at Worksop on 5th September 1914, he gave his age as 19 yrs and his occupation as that of a collier, he initially served with the 9th battalion Leicestershire Regiment later transferring to the 7th battalion. He landed in France on 29th July 1915 and died of wounds on 29th March 1918. He is buried in Doullens Communal Cemetery Extension No. 1. The award of his Military Medal was announced in the 'London Gazette,' 17th December 1917.
He served with 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment first but transferred to 7th Battalion later. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission still give his battalion as the 9th; 'Soldiers Died in the Great War,' the medal rolls and the register of the disposal of his personal effects all agree he was serving with 7th Battalion at the time he received his fatal wounds. His older brother Thomas Burnett Ramsden enlisted on the same day as Richard on 5th September 1914 also at Worksop, he gave his age as 29 yrs and his occupation as that of a colier. He too served with the Leicester Regiment and also landed in France on 29th July 1915. He survived the war and was eventually demobilised on 23rd January 1919. His younger brother Joseph Ramsden also enlisted at Worksop and served with the 9th battalion Leicestershire Regiment, he had initially served with service number 47223 in the North Staffordshire Regiment, he was killed in action on 3rd May 1917 and having no known grave his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, bay 5.
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