Trafford

Born on the 30th December 1895, the birth being registered during the March
quarter 1896 in the Altrincham R.D. - ref: 8a/173, the only son of Rev.
William Maurice Bonner & Annie Laura Lutener (nee Gore).    Baptised at St.
George's P.C. on the 16th February 1896.

1901 Census - St. George's Vicarage, Townfield, Altrincham.    Son - aged:
5 - born Altrincham.   Head of household - William M.B. Lutener - Married -
aged: 41 - occ: Clergyman Church of Englasnd - born: Harthill, Cheshire.  
Also Annie Laura. Lutener - Wife - aged: 34 - born: Liverpool.   Plus 1
younger sister and 2 domestic servants.

1911 Census - Vicarage, 40 Church Street, Oswestry, Shropshire.   Son -
aged: 15 - born: Altrincham.   Head of household - William Maurice Bonna
Lutener - Married - aged: 51 - occ: Clerk in Holy Orders, Church of
Englasnd - born: Harthill, Cheshire.   Also Annie L. Lutener - Wife - aged:
34 - born: Liverpool.   Plus 2 younger sisters, a paternal aunt and 3
domestic servants.

Educated at Shrewsbury School and Keble College, Oxford.

Grand-son of the late Canon Arthur Gore, formerly the Vicar of Bowdon.  His
father was previously the Vicar at St. George's, Altrincham, before moving
to Oswestry in 1908.

The 6th Battalion, Shropshire Light infantry was formed at Shrewsbury in
September 1914 as part of K2 and came under command of 60th Brigade in 20th
(Light) Division. Moved to Aldershot and then on to Larkhill, Salisbury
Plain in April 1915.   Mobilised for war on the 22nd July 1915 they landed
at Boulogne and were engaged in Trench familiarisation and training in
Fleurbaix area of the Western Front.

Richard obtained a commission in December 1914 and was posted to the front
in July 1915.  He was put in charge of the Battalion's Sniper Section and
trained them up to such a high stardard that the Corps Commander - Lord
Cavan, ordered that other units should adopt his methods.

On the 6th April 1916, the Battalion was in the front line at Pilkem Ridge
on the Ypres Salient.  It was just after13.00 hrs and over the next half an
hour a German sniper would shoot four men.  Richard and his section were
desperately trying to spot where the 'sniper's nest' was and were employing
a metal plate with a spy hole in it as a shield set into the parapet
overlooking the enenmy positions.  His best sniper was unable to spot the
German sniper, so Richard took his place.  As he moved into position, the
sniper fired again and the bullet hit him in the head. 

On his death, his Company Commander wrote to his parents stating that
Richard had been shot through the head by a German sniper at 13.45 hrs on
the 6th April.  The sad postscript of the story is that Lance Sergeant John
Alexander Wilshaw who went to Richard's aid,  was himself fatally shot in
the neck by the same sniper.  The two men being buried next to each other
at Essex Farm Cemetery that same evening.

Death reported in the 14/04/1916 edition of the Altrincham Guardian.  
Locally at Oswestry - in the 14/04/1916 edition of the Llangollen
Advertiser and the Border Counties Advertiser.

Richard is commemorated on the Oswestry Town War Memorial Gates.   I am
most grateful to researchers from Oswestry who are working on the following
website project, who kindly supplied some of the above information.   See -
 www.menonthegates.org.uk