Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Grave: | Locre Hospice Cemetery | ||
Awards & Titles: | Distinguished Service Order with Bar Mentioned in Despatches three times. Queen's South Africa Medal 6 Clasps King's South African Campaign Medal 1901 & 1902 British War Medal Victory Medal | ||
Early Life :
Born 1870, son of Colonel Thomas William Chester Master, Conservative M.P. for Cirencester from 1878-1885, and Georgina Emily Rolls. Educated at The Park, Harrow School 1884-1888 and Christ Church College, Oxford University.See more at: Christchurch College, Oxford. His portrait image can be found here and at the Imperial War Museum.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The Second Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902, South Africa.
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 13th Battalion The King's Royal Rifle Corps |
13th (Service) Battalion Formed at Winchester on 7 October 1914 as part of K3 and attached as Army Troops to 21st Division. Moved to Halton Park, going on in November 1914 to billets in Amersham and Great Missenden. Moved to Windmill Hill (Salisbury Plain) in April 1915 and transferred to 111th Brigade in 37th Division. 31 July 1915 : landed at Boulogne. |
| Action : France & Flanders |
France & Flanders covers all the dates and corresponding locations which are outside the official battle nomenclature dates on the Western Front. Therefore the actions in which these men died could be considered 'normal' trench duty - the daily attrition losses which were an everyday fact of duty on the Western Front.
He was twice mentioned in Despatches and received the Queen's Medal with six clasps and the King's Medal with two clasps, as well as the brevet of Major. He acted as A.D.C. to Lord Milner when he was High Commissioner of South Africa and held the positions of Commandant-General of the British South African Police, Rhodesia, from 1901 to 1905, and Resident Commissioner and Commandant-General in Southern Rhodesia from 1905 to 1908."
Detail :
In May 1910, he was placed on retired pay from the K.R.R.C. and took the appointment of Chief Constable of Gloucestershire in 1911. In March 1915, he rejoined his old Regiment and after a few months was given command of a Battalion.
In June 1916, he was mentioned in Despatches, again in June, 1917, and a third time in December 1917. In the Birthday Honours List of June 1917, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, while a few months later, a bar was added to it.
The London Gazette containing the following citation: “During operations for six days he displayed great courage and ability. His Battalion was very short of Officers, and he had no rest during that period. His splendid example and total disregard for safety inspired his men with great confidence."
He was killed in action on August 30th, 1917. "If ever any man was looked up to and respected it was he. Every Officer and man who ever had anything to do with him could have but one opinion of his character as a man, and his qualities as a leader of men. . . .
He was one of the few Commanding Officers who earned the bar to his D.S.O. He earned it more than once, for he was always where danger was greatest."
Probate: CHESTER-MASTER Richard Chester of the Abbey Cirencester and Knole Park Almondsbury both in Gloucestershire lieutenant-colonel His Majesty's Army died 30 August 1917 in France or Belgium Probate London 14 December to Geraldine Mary Rose Chester-Master widow William France Cornewall captain His Majesty's Army and Samuel Ronald Courthope Bosanquet barrister-at-law. Effects £18709 3s. 6d.
He is remembered at Harrow School and on the Almondsbury War Memorial at Sundays Hill, Gloucestershire – "Thanks be to God which give us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Sacred to the memory of Richard Chester Chester Master D S O, Knole Park and the Abbey Cirencester. Lt Col Kings Royal Rifle Corps, killed in Flanders August 30th 1917 and all who names are here recorded who have died for their King and Country in the Great War 1914-1918."
A further commemoration appears on Epitaph.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Apollo University No. 357 E.C. | Oxfordshire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
25th November 1890 | 27th January 1891 | 9th February 1892 |
Richard is listed as a 20 year old undergraduate, when initiated into Apollo Lodge No. 357 in 1890. He is resident in Cirencester at the time. After only a few years, he is not seen having paid due, but neither has a resignation been recorded.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley