Guardsman Richard Banks
7799 2nd Coldstream Guards
Killed in Action 11th November 1914, aged 32
Lived in Sherbourne, Dorset
Buried in Sanctuary Wood Cemetery, Belgium
Also Commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Belgium
Commemorated on the Burnley Grammar School Memorial

Burnleys Great War Centenary

Sponsored by: Alan Mackay

AN OLD BOY KILLED (Burnley Express 2nd December 1914)

An old Burnley Grammar School scholarship winner has been killed in action. Through his wife, now living in Dorsetshire, Mrs. Banks, of 30 Marlborough-street, Burnley, has received news that her son, Pte. Richard Banks, of the Coldstream Guards, was killed in action about November 11th. He was 32 years of age, and enlisted some six years ago. Prior to that he had been employed as a book-keeper at the Lancashire and Yorkshire Tobacco Factory, Burnley. After that he went into business at Kidderminster, and later joined the Army. He leaves a widow and two children. Pte. banks was very well known in Burnley up to the time of his removal. As a boy he won an entrance scholarship to the Burnley Grammar School from Red Lion-street Day School, and was at the Grammar School two years.
The news was conveyed in a letter from Mrs. banks, and from this it was learned that the deceased soldier was killed on November 11th at Beytel, in Belgium.
In a letter received at Burnley from him on the day that his death took place. Pte. Banks who had been all through from Mons to the then position of affairs said " I think the Germans have seen the highest point of their progress and from now forward, if we could have a little more weight on our flank, things will move. " He thought that when the rout did come it would be a rush

Wedding day picture of my Grandfather Richard Banks died 11th November 1914, buried in Sanctuary Wood Cemetery Belgium, estimate the date of this photo is about 1910. at time of his death he was 32. his son also Richard Banks died in Thailand on the railway, also age 32. buried in Chung Kai cemetery, his will was smuggled back by Arthur Tulk a survivor of Chung Kai. I am the last of the Richard Banks. I Have visited these graves and can only thank the keepers for the beautiful state that they are kept in.

Richards wife was Bessie Banks nee Gray, whilst Richard was born in Burnley she was born in Thornford Dorset, they met whilst she was in service in Chelsea and of course he was in Chelsea Barracks at the time, she died in the great flu epidemic in 1919 leaving three boys two of which Richard and Wilfred (my father) went to the Duke of Yorks in Dover

(Courtesy of his Grandson Richard Banks)

This is a photograph taken some time prior to 1914, it features the Coldstream Guards at Caterham, my Grandfather Richard is second row third from the left . lovely old photo , the Cream of British Manhood

(Courtesy of his Grandson Richard Banks)