Richard Lagdon

Rank 
Lieutenant
Regiment 
Australian Infantry, A.I.F.
Date of death 
12 October 1917
Age of death 
27
Address 
74 Prospect Road
Woodford Green
Woodford
Essex
IG8 7ND
Address source 
1911 Census
Cemetery / Memorial 
Belgium
Biography 

Born in 1890 at North Weald, son of John (Farm Labourer) and Hannah Lagdon. In 1891 he is living with his family at Duck Lane, North Weald. In 1901 he is listed as living with his family at 8 Prospect Road, Woodford Green. In 1911 is is listed as a Drapers Porter living with his family at 74 Prospect Road, Woodford Green. 

He moved to Wahroonga Australia and worked on the railways as a cleaner before joining the Australian Forces on 2th August 1915 at Liverpool New South Wales. A note on his enlistment papers suggests he had been married, but the marriage had broken down. He was serving with 13th Battalion at Ismailia on 8th January 1916, transferring to 45th Battalion at Tel-el-Kabir on 3rd March 1916, and joining the Lewis Gun section on 23th April. The Battalion was then moved to France, disembarking at Marseilles on 8th June 1916. Steadily promoted through the ranks, he was commissioned on 24th April 1917. During 8th June 1917 he was wounded in action, and treated at 20 General Hospital at Boulogne for a bayonet wound in the left leg before returning to the Battalion on 20th June.

He was on leave in Woodford when news came that his brother Edward had been killed on 30th July 1917.

45th Battalion were in action on 12th October 1917 for the start of the Battle of Passchendaele, part of a long and costly attempted to dislodge the Germans from ridges to the south and east of Ypres, and gain ground. Initially Lagden was reported as wounded, then wounded & missing, before finally classed as Killed in Action. It appears on 12th October 1917 he was wounded twice but refused to go to the rear for treatment. He was later found dead in no mans land and buried at map reference Sheet 28 D 21 C, but today he has no known grave.

Note - family use of both Lagden and Lagdon for their surname.

Research by Adrian Lee, Local Historian

Principal Sources:

Ancestry.com

National Australian Archives

Woodford Times

Hornsby War Memorial (NSW)