LEATHERHEAD WAR MEMORIALS - WWI
Lance Serjeant Richard Ferguson Longley DCM
7th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
L/Sgt
Richard F Longley DCM
7th King's Royal Rifles
Guedecourt
Sept 15 1916
Next to the Victoria Cross, the second highest British decoration for
valour for Other Ranks is the Distinguished Conduct Medal - the D.C.M.
Sometimes a recommendation for the D.C.M results in the award of the
V.C.
It is given sparingly, and that of Richard Longley was Gazetted on 20
October 1916, almost a month after his death.
He was born in Croydon and enlisted at Haywards Heath. His regimental
number was No.A326 and he was 'killed in action' (1)
The May 1915 issue of the Parish magazine (2) lists him as 'New Army'
and serving with the Kings Royal Rifle Corps.
The War Diary of the 7th Bn. K.R.R.C. (3) tells the story of his last
day and that of many of his comrades:
On 14 September at 11.45pm the Rifles moved
to Deville Wood and took up position in 'artillery formation' at 1am (on
the 15th).
Zero hour was 6.20am.
The 7th K.R.R.s followed 8th K.R.R.s and 7th Rifle Brigade. 'Brown Street'
and 'Green Street' trenches were taken and they reached the 'Switch'
trench, occupied 'Gap' trench and consolidated. Tanks were used for the
first time.
However, matters now went awry. 42nd Infantry Brigade Brigade now passed
through, but they were stopped by machine gun fire and got mixed up with
other troops, some of the 7th K.R.R.s having gone forward with them.
At 7 p.m., the 7th K.R.R.s were told to pull out.
The casualties in two days were:
12 Officers killed or wounded, including the M.O.
21 O.R.s killed
189 O.R.s were wounded.
And 120 O.R.s were missing.
The battalion had lost 342 in total, roughly a third at full strength.
Amongst them was possibly Leatherhead's only holder of the D.C.M. in the
1914-18 war.
Notes on sources
1. Soldiers Who Died in the Great War – Kings Royal Rifle Corps,
Imperial War Museum, Lambeth.
2. Parish magazine, St Mary and St Nicholas Leatherhead, issue of May
1915 (courtesy of Mr L Anstee of the Parish)
3. File W095 xxxx War Diary 7th Bn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps, Public
Record Office, Richmond, Kew.
Further research
Lance
Serjeant
LONGLEY, RICHARD
Service Number A/326
Died 15/09/1916
7th Bn. King's Royal Rifle Corps
D C M
Commemorated at THIEPVAL
MEMORIAL
Location: Somme, France
Cemetery/memorial reference: Pier and Face 13 A and 13 B.
Mid Sussex Times
Tuesday 26 September 1916
LANCE-SERGEANT R.F. DCM
KILLED IN ACTION
On Friday morning Mr and Mrs
Longley, of Ingleside, Sunte Avenue, received the very sad news that their
only remaining son, Lance-Sergt. Richard Ferguson Longley of the Kings
Royal Rifle Corps, had been killed in action on the 14th inst. It appears
from a comrade's letter that he received a bullet through the heart just
as he was about to jump into a captured trench. On the 13th inst. it was
announced in Company Orders that he had been awarded the Distinguished
Conduct Medal.
He was 22 years of age, and
joined up shortly after the outbreak of war. He first went out the Front
12 months ago last May. Like his brother Second Lieutenant Leslie Longley,
who was killed in action last July, he was a fine looking young fellow and
possessed a splendid disposition, and all his comrades esteemed him
highly. He had been recommended for a commission and was looking forward
to being gazetted shortly.
His sorrow-stricken parents have
been the recipients of many deeply sympathetic messages, and for these
they are sincerely grateful. It is sad to see fine young fellows cut down
in early manhood, but their parents may gain some comfort from the thought
that they did their best for England, and in laying down their lives they
have helped others to live.
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 30 September 1916
LEATHERHEAD AND THE WAR
LOCAL CASUALTIES.
LCE-SERGT. R. F. LONGLEY.
Notification has been received
from the War Office of the death in action, on Sept. 15th, of Lce.-Sergt.
R. F. Longley, only surviving son of Mr. and Mrs. Longley, of Haywards
Heath.
Lce.-Sergt. Longley, who was 22
vears of age, was well known in Leatherhead, having been for two years
prior to the outbreak of the war an assistant master at Mr. S. H.
Johnson's private school at Downsend, Leatherhead. He was a popular member
of the Leatherhead Institute, and frequently assisted in the successful
entertainments that were organised there.
Lce.-Sergt. Longley enlisted in
the King's Royal Rifles soon after the outbreak of the war, and did most
of his training at Aldershot, going out to France in May of this year. He
was promoted to lance-sergeant in the field. Deceased had applied for
commission, and the various formalities had been completed just before he
fell in action. A younger brother of Lce.-Sergt. Longley. who held a
commission, was killed in action about four months ago.
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 7 October 1916
LEATHERHEAD
& THE WAR.
LANCE-SERGT. LONGLEY’S DEATH,
AWARDED THE D.C.M.
We have received further details of the death in action of
Lce.-Sergt. R. F. Longley, only surviving son of Mr. and Mrs.
Longley, of Lindfield, who was resident in Leatherhead for some two
years prior to the outbreak of war, and was very popular locally.
Lce.-Sergt. Longley enlisted in the King’s Royal
Rifles soon after the outbreak of the war and went out to France
in May of last year. He had a short leave the following September,
but had not since been home. He fell a victim to a sniper on Sept.
15th, and only two days previously it had been announced in the
company’s orders that he had been awarded the D.C.M. He had been
granted a commission, but it had not been gazetted the time his
death.
The high esteem in which Lce.-Sergt. Longley was
held by the officers and men of his battalion is strikingly shown
in a letter his parents have received.
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One officer wrote: "As an officer
who was present when your gallant son was killed I cannot let the matter
pass without informing you of his noble work. He accompanied me in the
great advance, and showed a courage and coolness in action worthy of a
British soldier. It was whilst going to the assistance of a wounded
comrade that he was hit. A bullet passed through his heart and death was
instantaneous.
By his death the regiment has
lost an excellent non-commissioned officer with a promising career as
officer. His comrades mourn his loss, and tender to you their deepest
sympathy in your great trouble. Permit me to add deepest sympathv with you
in your great loss and hope that you will be given strength and courage to
bear up under this terrible blow."
Another officer wrote: “It is
with the deepest regret that I have to inform you the death of your son,
Sergt. Longley, D.C.M. He was killed while helping a wounded comrade on
the parapet, and it will a consolation you to know that his death was
instantaneous.
I can assure you that his death
is a grave loss to the whole battalion, who are all proud of his splendid
conduct on the 18th Aug., for which he had only just received his
D.C.M. I and the whole company with me wish to express our deepest
sympathy with you. On every side I have heard expressions of regret at his
loss.
He was killed the 15th Sept. I
should have written to you sooner, but I am the only officer at present
left with ‘A’ Company, and we are only just beginning to get straightened
out.”
Captain Rennie also wrote as to
his death, and added; "He had only few davs before been awarded the
D.C.M.. which he thoroughly deserved, and I had only a few days before
recommended him for a commission. He is very great loss to the battalion.
He won the D.C.M. for the gallant way he led his platoon, dug in in the
open, and consolidated the position won. He showed consistent gallantry
all day under most trying circumstances when we attacked the trench and
took it. All officers except me were hit that day. Please accept
sympathy."
Miss Gregory wishes to thank the
many friends who have so kindly sympathised with her in the bereavement
she has sustained.
London Gazette
20 October 1916
Distinguished Conduct Medal
L/Sjt Longley, R.
"For conspicuous gallantry in
action. When his platoon serjeant was wounded in the advance, he, though
only a lance-corporal at the time, took command, captured the enemy's
position, and consolidated it under machine gun and rifle fire."
Dorking and Leatherhead Advertiser
Saturday 30 December 1916
ROLL OF HONOUR. BRAVE SURREY MEN
FALLEN IN THE WAR.
LEATHERHEAD AND DISTRICT
SEPTEMBER
LONGLEY, Lce.-Sergt. R. F., D.C.M.. King’s Royal Rifles, killed in action,
of Leatherhead, son of Mr. and Mrs. Longley, Haywards Heath.
Richard Longley and his brother Leslie are named on the
Lindfield War memorial in Lindfield Parish Church and at the Cross in
the grounds of the church.
LONGLEY, Leslie Gordon
Lieutenant Aged 22 19th Lancashire Fusiliers (Pioneer Battalion) 49th
Division Killed In Action on The Somme 12th July 1916 Son of Mr Richard
Longley of 'Ingleside' Sunte Avenue, Lindfield. Brother of Richard (KIA
15/9/16). Wounded in May 1915 Educated at Belvedere School, Haywards
Heath. Buried Bouzincourt Communal Cemetery Extension F. 296
LONGLEY, Richard Ferguson
Lance Sergeant. A. 326 DCM. Aged 22 7th Battalion The Kings Royal Rifle
Corps. 14th (Light) Division Killed In Action during the battle of
Flers/Courcelette on the 15th September 1916. Born in Croydon and enlisted
in Guildford Son of Richard of 'Ingleside' Sunte Avenue, Lindfield.
Brother of Leslie (KIA 12/7/16). Resident of 'The Shanty' Portsmouth Lane,
Lindfield. Commemorated on The Thiepval Memorial MR. 21
His life
Richard Longley was born on 27 April 1894, at Oxted, Surrey and baptised
on 23 May 1894 at St Mary's Church, Oxted.
His father was Richard Longley born about 1869 at Turners Hill, Sussex,
part of a well known family of builders.
His mother was Alice Maud Ferguson born about 1869 at Yorktown [part of
Camberley], Surrey. She was a daughter of Henry Ferguson (1840-1882) and
Hannah Reeve (1841-1898)
They were married on 25 Jul 1893 at St Michael's, Camberley, Surrey.
His siblings were Violet Maude and Leslie Gordon.
They lived at:
1901 Census: Ingleside, New England Road, Cuckfield, Sussex
1911 Census: Ingleside, Sunte Avenue, Lindfield, Sussex
He attended the University of London. As stated in one of the press
reports he was resident in Leatherhead for some two years prior to the
outbreak of war, working as an assistant master at Mr. S. H. Johnson's
private school at Downsend, Leatherhead. He was a popular member of the
Leatherhead Institute, and frequently assisted in the successful
entertainments that were organised there. Where he lived when in
Leatherhead has not yet been established.
Although single when he was killed "Miss Gregory wishes to thank the many
friends who have so kindly sympathised with her in the bereavement she has
sustained."
After WW1
His father died on 21 May 1948 and his mother died on 17 April 1951. His
sister Violet died in 1961.
In 2011 Renny Richardson published ALL
THE BRIGHT COMPANY OF HEAVEN primarily about the Cook family
of Sussex, very successful builders .. " The Longley building company,
which was one of the South East’s largest building firms in the late 19th
century, moved to a site next to Crawley station - East Park - in 1881,
but there seems to have been more than enough work for both Cooks and
Longleys, as well as other building companies, to flourish. There are
reports of both firms enjoying works outings to the coast together. In
1898, the year Richard Edward Cook was born, the Longley Company alone is
recorded as having more than 700 people employed at their site."
Renny includes Richard Longley and his brother in the section relating to
those who were killed in WW1.
Richard Longley is also remembered on these memorials
Leatherhead Town Memorial
Leatherhead RBL Roll of
Honour, Leatherhead Parish Church
Ladies War Shrine, Leatherhead Parish
Church
Church Lads Brigade Memorial
Tryptich, All Saints Leatherhead
Surrey
in the Great War
Lindfield
Parish Church, Sussex: Roll of Honour
Lindfield War Memorials
the website editor would like to add
further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, and of any recollections within his family
last updated 8 Nov 20