LAGDEN, Richard
| Service Number: | 2868 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | North Weald, Essex, England, 31 August 1890 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Locomotive Fireman |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Belgium, 12 October 1917, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient) |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 2868, 13th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 30 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 2868, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney | |
| 8 Jun 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 2868, Evacuated to hospital at Camiers. Returned to duty mid-June. | |
| 7 Oct 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1) | |
| 12 Oct 1917: | Involvement Lieutenant, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 45 Battalion awm_rank: Lieutenant awm_died_date: 1917-10-12 |
Help us honour Richard Lagden's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Born the son of John (Farm Labourer) and Hannah Lagdon.
Births Dec 1890 Lagden Richard Epping 4a 293
In 1891 he was living with his family at Duck Lane, North Weald. In 1901 he is listed as living with his family at 8 Prospect Road, Woodford Green. In 1911 he is listed as a Drapers Porter living with his family at 74 Prospect Road, Woodford Green.
He moved to Wahroonga Australia and worked on the railways as a cleaner before joining the Australian Forces on 2th August 1915 at Liverpool New South Wales. A note on his enlistment papers suggests he had been married, but the marriage had broken down. He was serving with 13th Battalion at Ismailia on 8th January 1916, transferring to 45th Battalion at Tel-el-Kabir on 3rd March 1916, and joining the Lewis Gun section on 23th April. The Battalion was then moved to France, disembarking at Marseilles on 8th June 1916. Steadily promoted through the ranks, he was commissioned on 24th April 1917. During 8th June 1917 he was wounded in action, and treated at 20 General Hospital at Boulogne for a bayonet wound in the left leg before returning to the Battalion on 20th June.
He was on leave in Woodford when news came that his brother, Corporal Edward Lagdon, aged 29, had been killed on 30th July 1917. He was with"A" Battery, 83rd Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
45th Battalion were in action on 12th October 1917 for the start of the Battle of Passchendaele, part of a long and costly attempted to dislodge the Germans from ridges to the south and east of Ypres, and gain ground. Initially Richard was reported as wounded, then wounded & missing, before finally classed as Killed in Action. It appears on 12th October 1917 he was wounded twice but refused to go to the rear for treatment. He was later found dead in no mans land and buried at map reference Sheet 28 D 21 C, but today he has no known grave.
Note - family use of both Lagden and Lagdon for their surname.
Biography contributed by Geoffrey Gillon
Another brother, Private David Lagdon, aged 21 of the Essex Regiment was also a casualty-he died 16 August 1915 and is remembered on the following local memorials in Essex.
Woodford Union Church Memorial Tablet
Woodford Green Mens Club Memorial Plaque
St Barnabas Church Memorial
St Mary The Virgin Church Book of Remembrance
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Richard LAGDEN was born in Essex, England, on 31st August 1890. He joined the NSW Government Railways as a cleaner (first step on the career path of an engineman) in February 1914 at Eveleigh locomotive depot. In August 1915 he was stationed at Hornsby and working as a fireman when he enlisted in the AIF at Liverpool.
He was ent to Egypt with reinforcements for the 13th Battalion. He joined them there in January 1916, but in March was transferred to the 45th Battalion. He was sent with them to France in June 1916. He was made a Corporal in August 1916, then Sergeant in February 1917. He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant ‘in the field’ in April. On 8th June 1917 he was wounded in action and evacuated to hospital at Camiers but returned to duty in mid-June and re-joined his unit on 20th June. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 7th October.
He was reported as wounded in action for a second time during the Battle of Passchendaele on 12th October. Two weeks later, the report was altered to ‘wounded and missing’, and in December to ‘killed in action’. He has no known grave but is remembered with honour on the Menin Gate (Ypres) Memorial.
He was one of six brothers who enlisted, either in Australia or in England, and one of at least three of them who were killed.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.