WWI Casualty Victory Medal. Boughton. Ox & Bucks LI. New Malden. KIA Bellewaarde Farm. 1915 Battle of Loos. Menin Gate.

Correctly named 8013 Pte R Boughton Ox & Bucks LI

Richard was born c1886.

A pre-war regular soldier, we find him in 1911, serving with the 1st Battalion of the Oxford & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry where they are overseas in India where the Battalion had moved to in 1903.

At the outbreak of WWI, Richard had transferred to the 2nd Battalion and was sent overseas to France, landing on the 14th of August 1914 earning himself the 1914 Star Trio with clasp and rose.

Arriving before Mons on August 23rd, the brigade was detached at night to fill a gap in the British line, and the Regiment, after entrenching a position, assisted to cover the withdrawal of other troops next morning and subsequently joined the column as rearguard.

In this memorable Retreat from Mons, which continued till September 5th, the Regiment was but little in touch with the enemy, and this period and that of the subsequent advance across the Marne are remarkable for magnificent marching and endurance under extreme fatigue.

Crossing the Aisne on September 13th, the Regiment consolidated and held for some days a section of the line in front of La Cour de Soupir, often under heavy bombardments, until the transfer of the British Army to Flanders in time to take part in the first Battle of Ypres.

By late 1915, Richard has risen in the ranks to Lance Corporal and had transferred, this time to the 5th Battalion Ox & Bucks.

He was serving with them when he was killed in action. His accepted date of death is noted as the 25th of September 1915 at the Second Battle of Bellewaarde Farm.

The Battle of Loos would take place mainly from 25-30 September 1915, but extended to 14 October, and the second Battle of Bellewaarde Ridge, or of Bellewaarde Farm, on 25 September 1915, was a disastrous diversionary attack launched to distract German attention from the Battle of Loos.

He has no known grave and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial.

He left behind his mother, Hananh.

An address found for him at the time of his death is recorded as 20 Kingston Road, New Malden, Surrey.

The medal retains its original long silk ribbon.