Name
Richard (Dick) Ernest Duchesne
1 July 1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/10/1916
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Northamptonshire Regiment
7th Bn.
'B' Company,
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VILLERS STATION CEMETERY, VILLERS-AU-BOIS
IV. A. 9.
France
Headstone Inscription
HE DIED FOR HIS FRIENDS
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial, Central Methodist Church Memorial, Letchworth, Bishops Stortford Town Memorial, Bishop's Stortford College Memorial Hall, Bishop's Stortford, Peterborough War Memorial
Pre War
Richard Ernest Duchesne (known as Dick) was born on 2 July 1891 in Christchurch, Bournemouth, Dorset to Ernest and Fanny Duchesne, where his father was a Schoolmaster.
Dick was educated at
By the 1911 Census his family were living at Highgate, but Richard was living at Glebe Road, Peterborough and working for Cadge & Coleman Flour Mills as a shorthand clerk. His parents then moved to Wayside, Sollershott East, Letchworth, and later Bishop's Stortford where his father became Bursar to the Bishop's Stortford College, and Vice Chair of the Urban District Council.
Wartime Service
He enlisted as a Private No. 14895 in September 1914 in the 7th Battalion Northamptonshire Regt, was promoted to Corporal on 19 October 1914 and achieved his commission as 2nd Lieutenant on 5 January 1915.
He served with 8th (Reserve) Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment and embarked to France on 24th August 1916. He joined 7th Battalion on 8th September 1916 and was appointed Bombing Officer but was shot in the head whilst in command of a wiring party in front of the trenches at Carency on the night of 8 October 1916.
The Citizen (newspaper) of 20th October comments that Dock had been known since childhood to the Garden City residents as on who recoiled from the idea of inflicting suffering upon man or beast. The notion that such a youth should ever wish to be a soldier was preposterous. Amiable as was his nature. Much as he loathed war and loved peace, Dick grasped the situation created by war, forcing him to cast aside his deep-rooted prejudices against military activity.
Tributes by his fellow officers are extremely moving:
“His splendid character and the God-fearing life he led will ever be in my memory. If ever a man was ready to die, but why, oh why, should the best be taken?” and “It was never necessary for him to give an order, but to express a wish and it was immediately executed”.
Additional Information
All pay and monies owing was sent to the executor of his estate, Ernest Collier Duchesne (his father). Probate granted to his father in London on 20 November 1916 with effects of £34 6s 1d. Photo Great War Forum Story. Letter from Duchesne's father about memorial April 1918 Citizen. NOTE: Kelly’s Directory shows Ernest Duchesne (Dick’s father) living at ‘Wayside’ Sollershott Eat and the 1920 Letchworth Directory identifies this house as No. 32 Sollershott East.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Dan Hill, Janet Capstick, Jonty Wild
