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Richard Sidney Winter
Richard Sidney Winter, known as Sidney, was born on 11 August 1884 in Frampton to Richard James Winter, a grocer's porter, and Annie Sophia née Masters. He was one of six children. In 1901 Sidney was a bricklayer's labourer, but was later in the Gloucestershire Constabulary in Cheltenham. When he married Lucy Amy Brocher at St Peter's, Framilode, on 17 July 1915, he was an agent for Pearl Assurance at Stroud. Their daughter, Kathleen, was born around 18 months later while he was working at Cadbury's.
Sidney appears to have first volunteered for the Army, being placed in the Army Reserve on 31 January 1916. However, he must also have applied for the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve for he was mobilised on 2 July 1917 and reported to the 3rd Reserve Battalion Royal Naval Division at Blandford for training. On completion he was rated as an able seaman and posted to France on 30 October to join Anson Battalion of the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. This had previously been formed as the Royal Naval Division from Royal Navy and Royal Marine personnel who were not needed for service at sea. However, after sustaining many losses at Antwerp and Gallipoli, it had been transferred to the Army in 1916 and served on the Western Front for the remainder of the war. The Second Battle of Passchendaele had been raging as Sidney arrived at the Front, in which the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division had suffered over 3,000 casualties, but his timing was good and he would have taken part in the considerably more successful second phase : by attacking at night they took much more ground with few losses. This battle was followed for the Division by the Action of Welsh Ridge, a part of the Battle of Cambrai, in the first half of December. Although the Front was then quieter for a time, it was always dangerous and, according to his Commanding Officer (Lt Ridler RNVR) when later writing to his mother, Richard Sidney Winter was 'shot through the head and instantly killed while gallantly advancing with the Company (A) on December 30th last [1917]. The action was a particularly hard one and the men did splendidly and well, especially your son, of whom, as a Gloucestershire man myself, I was very proud. His loss was a grief to me, as I had come to know and appreciate the lad very well. He was seen by several men to fall during the advance. [...] I need hardly say that I extend to you my deepest sympathy. It may be some slight consolation to know that A.-B. [Able Seaman] Winter died bravely and that he was a splendid Gloucestershire lad.' Sidney was posthumously awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal and is commemorated on Frampton's war memorial and the village hall plaque. He is also remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, and the largest British war memorial in the world. |