Richard Watmough
Richard Watmough was born in Chorley on the 28th December 1891, the son of William and Margaret Helen (nee Dickinson), being baptised at St. Gregory’s Church on New Year’s Day 1892; he was one of seven children. Upon enlisting in the Pals he worked as a Bleacher at Birkacre Bleachworks and lived with his sister at 21 Carr Lane in Chorley, attending St. Gregory’s Church.
He was wounded in the head at Serre on the 1st July 1916, after which his number was changed to 35423; he later contracted Trench Foot. Richard was killed on the 28th June 1918 whilst attempting to save a fellow Pal. At 6.00 a.m. that morning the Pals were part of an attack out of Nieppe Forest and captured their objectives on the Gars Brugghe / Verte Rue by 7.30 a.m. Richard Watmough is buried in Aval Wood Military Cemetery in Vieux-Berquin, it being created by the 11th Battalions of both the East Lancashire and East Yorkshire Regiments.
