Lieut Richard Glyn Lloyd (MC)

• Age: 23
• From: Bootle, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Wednesday 13th September 1916
• Commemorated at: Loos Memorial
  Panel Ref: P27-30

Richard Glyn Lloyd was born in the first quarter of 1893, his birth was registered in West Derby, Liverpool. He was the son of Richard Rice and his wife Marian Lloyd (née  Roberts). They had married in 1887 in Caernarvon.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 3, Oxford Road, Birkdale, Lancashire. His father, Richard Rice is aged 50, born in Anglesey in 1851, he is a timber merchant, his mother, Marian, is aged 40, born 1861 in Caernarvonshire, Wales and has no occupation listed. They have four children at the time of the Census, Thomas aged 12, born 1889, David aged 10 born 1891, Richard aged 8, born 1893 were all born in Bootle. Their daughter Frances is aged 5, born 1896 and born in Birkdale. They have three servants living with them Mary Roberts aged 21, born 1880 in Festiniog, Wales is a housemaid domestic, Eva Lawley aged 24, born 1877 in Shropshire is a domestic cook and Sarah Nichols aged 35, born 1866 in Ruabon, North Wales is a domestic nurse.  

On 1911 Census Richard is living at Rhosdican, Llanbeblig, Carnarvon with his uncle William Morris Roberts (his mothers brother). He is 18 years of age, single, and a law student, born in Bootle. 

In 1913, in the employment of J. Furniss, he passed his Intermediate Law examinations, his address “Rosemeath”, Oxford Road, Birkdale. 

His father, died aged 63, on the 23rd June 1914, in Southport. 

Little is known about his early life or military service, other than the fact that he trained with the Battalion in England. He first appears in the Battalion War Diary of the 19th Battalion on 11th March 1916, when he was present at a General Court Martial at Maricourt, on the Somme, of a soldier accused of accidentally shooting one of his comrades. He then served with the Battalion during the Somme fighting of July and early August 1916, for which he was later awarded the Military Cross.

On the day of his death, 13th September 1916, the Battalion was stationed in billets at Le Hamel, on the Givenchy Sector of northern France. As the billets were just behind the front line, troops were being used for fatigues and work details. On the night of 12th/13th September, a raiding party was sent out to try and identify the German unit holding the line opposite. During the course of this raid, the party was discovered and an engagement took place. Although Casualties were inflicted on the enemy, the purpose of the raid was not accomplished and the raiding party also suffered casualties. Lieutenant Lloyd was reported missing after the action, along with two other ranks, and Second-Lieutenant N L Taylor and three other ranks were wounded. Nothing was ever seen or heard from Lieutenant Lloyd again, and his death was presumed on 13th September 1916. He was aged twenty three.

His body was not found and identified after the war and he is commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing, at Loos, France. The Memorial Register does not give any personal or family details, and merely records a skeleton entry for this officer.

The Loos Memorial commemorates over 20,000 officers and men who have no known grave, who fell in the area from the River Lys to the old southern boundary of the First Army, east and west of Grenay, from the first day of the Battle of Loos to the end of the war. On either side of the cemetery is a wall 15 feet high, to which are fixed tablets on which are carved the names of those commemorated. At the back are four small circular courts, open to the sky, in which the lines of tablets are continued, and between these courts are three semicircular walls or apses, two of which carry tablets, while on the centre apse is erected the Cross of Sacrifice.

The memorial was designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Charles Wheeler. It was unveiled by Sir Nevil Macready on 4 August 1930. 

Presumably one of the reasons for the failure of this raid was poor planning, because in his book ‘The History of the 89th Brigade 1914-1918 ‘published in 1919, the 89th Brigade Commander General F C Stanley, stated:

“I am sorry that while we were in this place, one of our Battalion’s had a raid which did not come off successfully. It was a lesson to us never go into things hurriedly, or to do them without very carefully having rehearsed them beforehand. “

The day after Lieutenant Lloyd’s death in action, news reached the Battalion that he had won the Military Cross. It was published in the Supplement to the London Gazette of 26th September 1916 as follows:

"For conspicious gallantry in action. When his senior officers became casualties he took command of the battalion and acted with great coolness. Later he performed the duties of Adjutant, and displayed great skill and courage in assisting to rally the battalion." 

 The Liverpool Daily Post on Thursday 28th September 1916 reported; 

LIEUTENANT R.G.LLOYD

Lieutenant Richard Glyn LLOYD who is twenty three years of age, of the King's (Liverpool) Regiment and youngest son of the late Mr R.R. Lloyd of the firm of Messrs: Lumley, Lloyd and Co., timber merchants, Liverpool. Prior to the outbreak of war he was articled with Messrs. Hill, Dickinson and Co., solicitors, Liverpool, and when the call came he was one of the first to join the colours. He is regarded as an excellent soldier, and has won golden opinions on account of his gallantry on more than one occasion. He gained the Military Cross for conspicious gallantry in action. When his senior officers became casualties he took command of the battalion and acted with great coolness. Later he performed the duties of adjutant, and displayed great skill and courage in assisting to rally the battalion. he afterwards went out from the trenches with a raiding party, of which he was in charge, and from reports of some of his party he appears to have been wounded and then could not be found, though the whole of the adjacent ground was searched until daylight of the following morning, and again by another party during the next night. It is to be hoped that he has been taken a prisoner of war, and that we shall have tidings to this effect later on. 

He earned his two medals. 

His Soldiers Effects, Army Pay of £71 16s 6d and a £6 War Gratuity was administered by his eldest brother Thomas Richard Lloyd. No pension record found. 

Probate was awarded 30th August 1917, Probate Registry Liverpool, England. 

LLOYD Richard Glyn of 3 Oxford-road, Birkdale, Southport Lancashire lieutenant 19th battalion K.L.R. died on or since 13 September 1916 in France Administration Liverpool 30 August to Thomas Rice Lloyd timber merchant. Effects £996 11s. 11d. 

His mother, died aged 75, on the 10th March 1935. 

Richard Glyn Lloyd is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Southport War Memorial

Scarisbrick New Road, Baptist Church

He is also commemorated on the family headstone at Birkdale Cemetery. The headstone includes the Pals crest of the Eagle and Child and the inscription reads:

In Loving Memory
of
RICHARD GLYN LLOYD.
LIEUTENANT M.C.
19TH KING'S LIVERPOOL REGIMENT
THIRD SON OF
R.R & M.A LLOYD,
KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE
SEPTEMBER 13TH 1916,
AGED 23 YEARS.
THERE IS BUT ONE TASK FOR ALL-
THE LIFE FOR EACH TO GIVE
WHO STANDS IF FREEDOM FALLS?
WHO DIES IF ENGLAND LIVE?

We currently have no further information on Richard Glyn Lloyd. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.

Additional information taken from Liverpool Pals by Graham Maddox biographies of Officer Casualties 1914-1919.