GASKELL, Richard Pennington
| Service Number: | 574 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 June 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 30th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, 7 January 1888 |
| Home Town: | Carlton, Kogarah, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Tranmere School, Birkenhead, England |
| Occupation: | Clerk, Signalling Branch NSW Railways |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 25 February 1917, aged 29 years |
| Cemetery: |
Bancourt British Cemetery Plot VII, Row D, Grave 18 |
| Memorials: | Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 574, 30th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Aug 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 30th Infantry Battalion | |
| 9 Nov 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 574, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Nov 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sergeant, 574, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney | |
| 12 Mar 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Regimental Sergeant Major, 30th Infantry Battalion, Promoted at Ferry Post, Egypt. | |
| 2 Aug 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 30th Infantry Battalion, Promoted in France. | |
| 25 Nov 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 30th Infantry Brigade, Promoted in France. | |
| 25 Feb 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 30th Infantry Battalion |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Richard Pennington GASKELL was born on 7 January 1888 in Birkenhead, England. He began working in the Railways on 30 November 1914, as a labourer at Milson’s Point Station in the Signalling Branch. He remained in this position for a brief period of time, before being released to join the AIF on 30 June 1915, at the age of 27. He embarked at Sydney on HMAT ‘Beltana’ on 9 November 1915.
He was killed in action on 24 February 1917 in France, and an account of his death details, ‘this officer was killed whilst in charge of a fatigue party digging a sap towards Sunray Trench by machine gun fire a bullet penetrating his head. Death was instantaneous. He was buried close to the spot’. He was 29 when he died, and was buried in Bancourt British Cemetery, Picardie, France.
Submitted 18 July 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed
Richard Pennington GASKELL was born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England in 1888
His parents were Thomas GASKELL & Annie PENNINGTON
He had previously served in the 1st Surrey Territorial Regiment as a Sergeant in England before enlisting in Australia on 30th June, 1915
He embarked from Sydney on the HMAT Beltana on 9th November, 1915 with the 30th Infantry Battalion, C Company
Richard was killed in action in France on 25th February, 1917 and is buried in the Bancourt British Cemetery
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Richard Pennington GASKELL was born on 7th January 1888 in Birkenhead, England. He began working in the Railways on 30th November 1914 as a labourer at Milson’s Point Station in the Signalling Branch. He was released to join the AIF on 30 June 1915 at the age of 27. He embarked at Sydney on HMAT ‘Beltana’ on 9th November 1915.
On 1st August 1915 he was promoted to Sergeant. A little less than a year later, he received another promotion when he was appointed as Regimental Sergeant Major on 12th March 1916. This was at Ferry Post inEgypt. He embarked to join the British Expeditionary Forces from Alexandria and disembarked at Marseilles (France) on 23rd June 1916. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on 2nd August 1916 in France. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 25th November in the same year.
He was killed in action on 24th February 1917 in France. An account of his death details states, ‘this officer was killed whilst in charge of a fatigue party digging a sap towards Sunray Trench by machine gun fire a bullet penetrating his head. Death was instantaneous. He was buried close to the spot’. He was 29 when he died, and was buried in Bancourt British Cemetery, Picardie, France.
He earned the 1914/15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal for his service, and these medals were given to his next of kin, his mother.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
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