Richard Calvert (c1893-1923)

 Richard was certainly famous, if only for a short while, in his native town of Gorton, Manchester, England during the first world war (1914-18).  He is certainly notable enough to be mentioned here.

 There was a terrible irony in Richard’s short life.  Having narrowly escaped death in the war, he forfeited it a few years later to an incredible freak accident.

 His daughter, Marie Anderson (nee Calvert) has kindly given us permission to reproduce the text from two newspaper articles.

 The first is from a local newspaper, and sadly the end is partially illegible – the illegible bits are signified by ???s.

GORTON SOLDIER

 Exciting Experiences Behind the German Lines.

 ESCAPE FROM UHLAN CAPTORS. 

A Witness of Instances of German Atrocities.

 The story told by Lance-Corporal Richard Calvert of the King's Own Royal Lancasters is one of thrilling experiences.  He is now at his parents' home in Maddison Street, Abbey Hey, Gorton and is convalescent after being invalided with rheumatism from exposure in the trenches.  The youth's narrative was remarkable.

His regiment left Southampton on August 22nd, and landed at Boulogne the following day.  From there they went straight into the firing line between Arras and Cambrai to cover the retirement from Mons.  On the 26th the regiment were taking up position when they were surprised by the enemy, and had to retire.  He was separated from the rest of his regiment and found himself behind the German lines, about 20 miles north of St. Quentin.  He set off on foot to St. Quentin, arriving there on the 28th.  Here his experience was decidedly rough.  He had to forage for himself, and sleep as he best could in haystacks, barns or outhouses.  He was considerably helped by French peasantry.   From St. Quentin he journeyed on foot to Ham, where he dropped across a straggler, Private Owen of the Lancashire Regiment.  They set out together - comrades in distress - and walked from Ham to Chauny, reaching that place on August 31st , where the enemy was in possession of the town.  This caused the pair to be careful in their movements.   On September 3rd they had to hide in a cornfield, for the Germans were coming up with reinforcements, consisting of three brigades of cavalry, seven battalions of infantry, five batteries of artillery, and the necessary transport and ammunition wagons.  These took all day to pass.

The day following, the two comrades ventured forth with the intention of going to Soissons, but an unpleasant surprise was forthcoming in the fact of their running into a patrol of Uhlans, who took the pair prisoners.  They were dispossessed of rifles and ammunition, but the rifles were returned later for the prisoners to carry.  The latter were then taken to the transport wagons, which were encamped about two miles outside Chauny.  The two men were then stripped of all their clothes with the exception of their shirts, and placed in a transport wagon.

Towards dusk of that day Lance Corporal Calvert determined to escape and asked his companion to take the same risk.  The latter declined in fear of being shot by the sentries.  Lance Corporal Calvert managed to get away alone and ran into the town of Chauny, where he found a Frenchman standing at his door, who after explanations, took him inside the home, and accommodated him for the night very hospitably.   Next morning his host supplied him with a civilian suit, and advanced him five francs, and advised him to set off for Paris, 120 miles distant, by way of the canal.  Lance-Corporal Calvert acted on the advice, but on his way had to pass through German lines.   The journey took a week to complete.  The first place en route where he procured a bed was at racing stables in Chantilly  Here English stable lads were kind to him.  He stayed there one night, and arrived at Paris next day by a motor car which had  come to the racing stables.  Arrived in the capital,  he reported himself at the British Embassy, from whence he was sent to the Red Cross Society, and provided with a change of [linen] etc.

In the course of a day or two he was sent off to the Headquarters of General French, afterwards rejoining his regiment at St. Marguerite on the Aisne.  They remained there in the firing line until October 2nd, and [until] they were sent up to Hazebrouch.  Previous to [this] however, they had a week's rest at Ambrief, travelling thence by motor-car and train.  They were entrenched at Hazebrouch for three days.

Here the Gorton Soldier was invalided from the exposure to which he had [been subjected] in the trenches.  From the last [??] he was sent to the base, and eventually [to] the military hospital [in] Edinburgh, where he arrived on October 19th.

[?] returned home convalescent, after being in [????????] some days.  He is to report himself at the [??] on Monday.  Another incident may be men[tioned].  When the lieutenant sent him off to [????????] Hazebrouch, he was asked … [rest of article missing - damn! There must have been more because of the 'witness to German atrocities' that was mentioned].

Then we have another newspaper article referring to his death:-

"A verdict of accidental death was returned by the Manchester City Coroner at the inquest yesterday on Richard Calvert (30) of 29 Coleridge Street, Lower Broughton, who was employed by Messrs. E. Hulton & Co Ltd, printers of Manchester, as a labourer.  The inquiry was attended by Mr Seal, H.M. Inspector of Factories.

On Tuesday morning Calvert was one of six men engaged in placing in position a printing press weighing about seven tons.  One end was on the floor, the other was on rollers supported by a hydraulic jack resting upon some timber.  The wood gave way, and the frame dropped on to the toe of a crowbar, causing it to rise vertically and strike Calvert in the face.  The blow rendered him unconscious.  He was taken to Roby Street Infirmary, but was dead when admitted.

Mr Surridge said the breaking of the wood and the fall of the frame, which had only two inches to drop, would have been unimportant had it not been for the crowbar.  Apparently there was no fault in the wood, which was of the kind generally used in this work, though he thought the timber put to this purpose should always have careful consideration."