On this day in 1918, Gunner Richard Stidwell died.

 Richard Stidwell's name does not appear on the Stoke Climsland War Memorial but he is buried in the church graveyard with a military headstone. His story is unusual in several respects and one with a presently unsolved mystery. 

Richard was born in Boyton in 1895, one of the sons of John and Betsy Ann (nee Lawrence). The family were farming in Laneast at the time of the 1901 census and had moved to Winsor in Kelly Bray by the 1911 census. Richard’s father, John, had died in 1907 and, in the 1911 census, his mother is listed as the head of household: Richard’s occupation is given as a farm labourer.

Luckily, Richard’s full Service Record exists and from this we can see that he enlisted ‘for the duration of the war’ in Callington on 23rd October 1915. He joined the 1/5th Cornwall Company of the Royal Garrison Artillery as a Teamster, although there is mention of the 2/5th in his record. He served for only 182 days before he was discharged as medically unfit, because of tubercle of the lung, on 21st April 1916. It seems that he was discharged to live with his mother at Kitty Bren, Bowling Green and he subsequently died of pulmonary tuberculosis on 3rd August 1918 at Zaggy Lane, Callington. He was buried in Stoke Climsland graveyard on 8th August of the same year.



Richard Stidwell's headstone in Stoke Climsland graveyard.

An extract from Richard Stidwell's death certificate.

Between the date of his discharge and his death, Richard appears to have travelled to Coventry to work in a munitions factory as an engineer's labourer. It was probably there that he met his future wife, Mary Tideswell, who was also employed there as a forge worker. They married in Coventry Register Office on 9th October 1917 and must have moved to Cornwall soon after as a son, George, was born locally on 14th April 1918. A grand daughter of Richard has indicated that Mary, and their son, returned to Staffordshire, and her family, after his death.

The marriage certificate of Richard and Mary Stidwell.

Every year, near Armistice Sunday, a poppy wreath is placed on Richard's headstone in Stoke Climsland graveyard. It is accompanied by a note that reads ‘from his Comrades in Arms in the 1st, The Queen’s Dragoon Guards’. This regiment is based in Cardiff and, as far as can be ascertained, Richard never had any connection with it during his service years, neither is there any connection with the Cornwall Company of the Royal Garrison Artillery. Who is responsible for the appearance of the wreath? Wide ranging enquiries have been made but all have been blank so far. Perhaps this mystery will remain unsolved?

Richard Stidwell's headstone with its annual poppy wreath.

Inscription that accompanies the poppy wreath.

Although he is not commemorated in Stoke Climsland, Richard Stidwell is remembered on the Callington War Memorial.