233945 L/Cpl. Richard Addison British Army 8th Btn. C Coy. Loyal North Lancashire Regiment from:Preston, Lancashire (d.23rd Oct 1916) Richard Addison was born in Preston in 1886 and was the eldest son of Richard and Charlotte Addison (nee Foreman/Forman). Richard`s parents were married on 29 July, 1883 at St. Saviour with St. James Church, Preston.
Richard and Charlotte Addison had another eleven children. The others being Alice A (1883), Margaret Alice (1885), Robert (1889), Lizzie (1892), Betsy Ellen (1894-1894), Archibald (1895), Mary Jane (1898), Betsy Ellen (1900), Frederick (1903), Walter (1904) and Joseph (1906).
In 1901 the family were living at 17 Tennyson Road, Preston. Richard`s father was working as a grinder in the card room of a cotton mill.
According to his service papers Richard married Elizabeth Johnson on the 22 September, 1906 at St. Ignatius RC Church, Preston. On the 20 December, 1907 Richard and Elizabeth had their first child, a daughter and they named her Alice Ann. Eighteen months later she was followed by another daughter Elizabeth who was born on 6 June, 1909.
In 1911 Richard, Elizabeth and their two daughters were living at 9 Hopwood Street, Preston. Richard was working as a lap piercer in a local cotton mill and Elizabeth was at home looking after the two girls. On the 8 May, 1913 a son was born and they named him Richard.
On the 5 September, 1914 Richard went off to enlist at the age of 28 years and 1 month. His occupation at the time was a labourer working for Messrs. Irvin and Sellers a Wood Turning and Shuttle Manufacturers in Preston. Richard confirmed that he had no previous military experience. The Medical Officer noted that he was 5`5" tall and weighed 116 lbs, he had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He was posted into C Company of the 8th Battalion and allocated the service number 13466.
The 8th Battalion stayed in England for a year training and growing in strength until the 24th September, 1915 when they embarked for France.
Richard was appointed Lance Corporal (paid) on the 11th of July, 1916 when the 8th Battalion had been in action on the Somme. The previous day the Battalion had lost a total of 247 Officers and men who had either been killed, wounded or missing in the area around Ovillers.
On the 12th of October, 1916 Richard was wounded in action and was admitted to No. 22 General Hospital with gunshot wounds. The wounds he received resulted in the amputation of one of his legs but sadly he did not recover and he died at 1 am. on the morning of the 23rf of October 1916.
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