| Rank | Private |
| Service # | 213684 |
| Resident | Tilbury |
Regimental number: 213684 Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 8824 – 8 Item No. 224394, PDF 8824-S008. Date of Birth 27/04/1891 at Preston, Lancashire, England. Son of Robert M. Shaw of Tilbury, ON. Also listed to be notified: Mrs. G. A. Shaw, 219 Park St., Chatham. A farmer. Attestation: 22/01/1916 at Tilbury, ON. to 99th Bn. Medical completed 21/01/16 5’ 3” (he would later be reduced to 5’ 2”) fair complexion/ Blue Eys/ Brown hair. [in 1916 the Minimum height was 5’ 3”] Attestation: 22/01/1916 at Tilbury, ON. to 99th Bn.
Sailed from Canada at Halifax 31/05/16 aboard S.S. Olympic arriving at Liverpool, 8/05/16, England. Transferred from the 99th Battalion to the 35th Reserve Battalion, West Sandling 6/07/16 and from that unit to the 20th Battalion 10/08/16. Began service in France 10/08/16.
2/12/16 he was transferred to the 5th Canadian Fielf Ambulance for Laryngitis. 16/12/16 he was hospitalized with Myalgia [a muscle pain] on his back and legs and was admitted for treatment, he was released 23/12/16 and returned to duty.
Reported to be wounded 30/08/18 with a GSW to the head and admitted to the 14th General Hospital, Wimereau. His parents had moved to Chatham, living at 14 St. George St. CDP 12/09/18. 3/09/18 Richard was transferred to West General Hospital – Cardiff (Wales) an from there to the Canadian Convalesant Hospital at Bear Wood.
Beside the GSW he had been struck by a piece of shrapnel in his right ear. He was discharged fom 1st Cdn. Hospital – Whitley 25/10/18. The complained of deafness in his right ear and poor vision, that was also confirmed at his medical at discharge.
The Tilbury Times, Thursday
27 September, 1917.
Letters From the Front.
“France, 24 August, 1917.
To I.O.D.E. Tilbury,
Dear Friends: — Just a few lines to let you know that I received your parcel with the greatest of pleasure, was very glad of the socks. No doubt you will have read of the advance the Canadians were in. Well, I am glad to say that I came through alright, but it was very hard while we were in the line. Four days ids too long to stay in and hold the line after taking it. While we were on our way from billets to get into position for the following morning when we were to advance, it simply poured down in torents and kept it up all night and we were wringing wet through. Water in our shoes and not able to change until your socks arrived. I almost had to cut the old ones off my feet, they had shrunk up so much but I didn’t mind that so long as the Germans did not drive us back after we had taken his trenches. While we were waiting for the zero hour that’s the starting point, there was only one shell burst near me and that was about 4 yards away. I bet if your were to go back to the place where I was crouching in a shell hole in “no man’s land” you would still seethe impression where I tried to press through the ground. About ten minutes after the barrage opened up and we were up and ready to advance. Talk about noise! I cannot describe it. Some of the men were shouting to each other but they never paid any attention. I suppose they could not hear. When we started off it was still dark but you could tell Fritze’s front line by the shells bursting on it. The artillery had got the range down fine and after two minutes the barrage began to lift to his next ine of trenches. The boys soon had the front cleared, then we came to some houses. My word it was great…..
To go hunting him out of cellars, there was one cellar with some Fritzes who were throwing cllidrical sticks up which stopped us for a moment but one of our men threw down a Mills bomb {hand grenade] and then there was silence so of course we passed on to the next line and so on until we gained our final objective which did not take us very long. We routed about ten or twelve prisioners out of a dugout which proved to be full of souvenirs including two machine guns, one of which we used on him after we consolidated. An now out for a few days rest and maybe over the top again when we go back to the line but it doesn’t matter, there is lots of us in going after him through it is hard when he comes back at you. Thanking you one and all for the parcel. I remain.
Your sincere friend.
Pte. R. Shaw.”
The Tilbury Times, Thursday
27 September, 1917
It was reported that Richard had applied for permission to marry and it was granted. 31/10/18 he married Glace Alice Knowles (spinster) of the Parish of Emmanuel , Preston County of Lancaster. The witnesses were Richard Dickson and Elizabeth Knowles.
Richard was discharged 14/05/1919 at Quebec.
Richard was Struck Off Strength 24/04/1919. He arrived in Canada 3/08/1919 and was discharged from the Army at Quebec, PQ. 12/05/1919
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
| Sources | Chatham Daily Planet (12-09-1918), Chatham Daily News (13-05-1919), RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 8824 – 8, GOH additional information. TT 27/09/17, LAC-FMF |
| Birthplace | 27/04/1891 at Preston, Laucashire, England |
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