Private 43393 Richard Porter

Family details:
Son of Henry and Ann Porter, of St. Helens, Lancs.

Census details:
1891 - Not found. 1901 - 17 years old 'Glass Works Pusher' Richard living at 20 Gladstone Street, St Helens with parents Henry (57), Ann (55) and siblings: Benjamin (twin 17), Margaret (15). 1911 - Sees 27 years old 'Labourer' Richard living at 14 Crowther Street, St Helens with widowed mother Ann (65) and twin brother Benjamin (27).

Notes:
Possibly the blank initialed inscription for Porter on the Cenotaph.

[quote="Denis Gornall"] [pic]ww1casimg/Richard_Porter.jpg[/pic] Remembering [b]A son of St Helens - Richard Porter 1883 -1918[/b] Henry Porter, (my great grandfather) originally from Prescot, married his second wife, Ann Denton, on 28 May 1882. At that time he was living at 82 Lyon St. It was at this house, on September 27 1883 that Ann gave birth to twin boys Benjamin and Richard Porter. They were baptised at St. Thomas, Eccleston that very same day, which may suggest that there was a fear that the twins may not survive. However thay did survive and and grew into fit young men. In April 1885 Anne gave birth to a daughter Margaret (my grandmother). At the age of 17 Benjamin and Richard were working with their father at a glass works as labourers. One year later their father died. At the age of 28 Richard, now living at 14 Crowther St. with his mother, was employed as a labourer at B.I.C.C. cable manufacturers. His mother died that year. I was told by my father that Richard had enlisted in the army in St. Helens and during the early part of WW1 he was serving in Ireland. It would seem that he was mobilised around early to mid May 1918 and landed in France from about September 1918. He was posted to 1st Batalion Kings Shropshire Light Infantry (K.S.L.I.) as Pvt. 43393 Porter. Major L. H. Morris Commanding 1/KSLI issued battle orders for the following morning, 17th. October 1918:- 1/KSLI would attack and hold a sub- objective, new German trenches near to the railway line, east of Vaux Audigny. The 1st Buffs and 2nd Yorks & Lancs would then pass through and advance in depth. The German positions were heavily defended with machine guns, and thick fog meant that the KSLI infantry had great difficulty in maintaining direction and contact with their comrades. The objective was achieved with "about 25 casualties". Richard was one of the soldiers killed that morning. He was buried at High tree Cemetery (managed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commision) just outside Montbrehain. Their Name Liveth for Evermore [pic]imgs/WW1_headstones/43393_Richard_Porter.jpg[/pic] [/quote]