Pte 24850 Richmond Penny

• Age: 27
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: 1st Kings
• Died on Thursday 29th August 1918
• Commemorated at: Terlincthun Bc
  Panel Ref: II.F.14

Richmond was born in Liverpool on  the 17th February 1891 the son of William Penny and his wife Lillie (nee Puckle) who married in 1887. William was born in Lancaster whilst Lillie was born in Birmingham. Richmond was baptised at St Bride's Church on 26th April 1891. He was the second of five children born to the couple, his siblings were; Olive (died aged  19 days old), Marjorie, Clifford and William.

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 35 St James Road, Liverpool. His father, William, is a 32 year old, licensed victualler, born in Bay Horse, Lancashire, his mother, Lillie is 30 years of age and was born in Birmingham. Richmond is a new born and there is a visitor registered, Mary L. King a 30 year old drapers assistant born in Wiltshire.

In 1897 his mother died aged 37.

The Census of 1901 shows that the family are living with their great aunt Nancy Richmond at 3 Beech Street, Fairfield, Liverpool. Nancy is 66 years of age and was born in Lancaster. Richmond is 10 and is living with his 3 surviving siblings, listed as; Marjorie aged 8, Clifford aged 6, and William P. aged 3. Also declared is a servant, 22 year old Mary Bellard a  domestic nurse. His father is not shown in the household.

By 1911 Richmond, now 20 is working at the New Brighton Hotel. His father is living with relatives, his cousins widow Jane Richmond at 177 Islington. Also in the household is Jane's son Thomas Richmond who was the second cousin of Richmond Penny. 

Thomas was also a Liverpool Pal, Private 30259 of the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment who was killed on 01st July 1916 on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme, during the attack at Montauban. Thomas' body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme.   

Richmond married Amelia Bird at St Asaph in 1912, they had a child Dorothy Enid who was born on 10th December 1914. 

He enlisted in the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 24850.

He was billeted at Prescot Watch Factory, he trained there and also at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 17th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915.

Richmond transferred to the 1st Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. He was wounded on the 25th August 1918, and sadly succumbed to his wounds on 29th August 1918, aged 27, and he now rests at Terlincthun Cemetery. 

The first rest camps for Commonwealth forces were established near Terlincthun in August 1914 and during the whole of the First World War, Boulogne and Wimereux housed numerous hospitals and other medical establishments.

The cemetery at Terlincthun was begun in June 1918 when the space available for service burials in the civil cemeteries of Boulogne and Wimereux was exhausted. It was used chiefly for burials from the base hospitals, but Plot IV Row C contains the graves of 46 RAF personnel killed at Marquise in September 1918 in a bombing raid by German aircraft.

In July 1920, the cemetery contained more than 3,300 burials, but for many years Terlincthun remained an 'open' cemetery and graves continued to be brought into it from isolated sites and other burials grounds throughout France where maintenance could not be assured.

During the Second World War, there was heavy fighting in the area in 1940. Wimille was devastated when, from 22 - 25 May, the garrison at Boulogne fought a spirited delaying action covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. There was some fighting in Wimille again in 1944. The cemetery suffered considerable damage both from the shelling in 1940 and during the German occupation.

The cemetery now contains 4,378 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and more than 200 war graves of other nationalities, most of them German. Second World War burials number 149.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 05th September 1918:

ROLL OF HONOUR

Died From Wounds

PENNY - August 29,  died of wounds received in action August 25, aged 27 years, RICHMOND K.L.R. (Pals), the dearly loved eldest son of William Penny, of this city.

His effects were sent to his widow, Amelia. She died in 1933, aged 40.

Their daugther Dorothy Enid, married and had a family. She died in 1994.

Richmond's father William died in 1930, aged 71. He now rests alongside his wife and baby daughter Olive at St James' Cemetery, Liverpool, in the shadow of the Anglican Cathedral.

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