Graveside ceremony remembers Shropshire war hero a century after his death
A Shropshire soldier who died from the effects of the Great War has been remembered with a graveside ceremony 100 years after his death.
Private Richard Goode is the latest to be honoured in a continuing project by Oakengates Royal British Legion to hold such ceremonies remembering local Great War heroes on, or close to, the centenary of their deaths, and inviting along descendants if they can be traced.
The first was in 2015 and Private Goode is the 15th of 22 Great War casualties within the district to be remembered in this way. He is buried at Wombridge Church.
The project is continuing until 2021, as the Commonwealth War Graves Commission covers dates of death up to August 31, 1921.
Moira Wallace of the legion branch said: "Present at Wombridge were Mayor of Oakengates Councillor Stephen Reynolds, standard bearer and representatives from Oakengates and District RBL, and a Salvation Army bugler. The ceremony was conducted by the Rev Kevin Evans.
"Our next commemoration is due on or around February 19 at Holy Trinity Church, Oakengates."
Moira's researches have shown that Private Goode was in The King's Liverpool Regiment, and also served in the Labour Corps.
Born in Crewe in March 1885, his mother Mary died at the age of 23 when Richard was four months old, and his father died under two years later, leaving him a two-year-old orphan who was apparently then brought up by his grandparents in Atcham.
The 1911 census shows him as a boarder at 43 Slaney Street, Oakengates, working as a coal carter, and before joining the Army he worked for G.W. Whitefoot ironmongers in the town.
He married an Oakengates girl, Susannah Plant, at Wombridge Church on July 19, 1914. They had two children, John Richard, born on September 8, 1915, and Sarah Daisy, born on February 6, 1917, who died aged two on February 14, 1919, just days after her father's death.
Richard died at home, 3 Cockshutt Road, Oakengates, from the effects of war – probably pneumonia resulting from the Spanish flu epidemic.
Widowed Susannah died in March 1962, aged 78, and son John died in 1984.
After Richard's death Susannah was paid a war gratuity of £10.
