Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Richard Ellison was one of 9 children of whom only 7 survived, born February 23rd 1896 at Washington, County Durham, the third eldest of 4 sons and 3 daughters. His father William Ellison of Birtley born 1865 and mother Jane Stephenson of Shincliffe born 1869, both in County Durham were married at South Shields, Northumberland in 1888. They moved during the the first years of their marriage between Hebburn and Heworth, near Gateshead, in 1891 they were living at 9, Chapel Square, Heworth, William was employed as a coal miner. After a brief period at Washington they had returned to 20, First Street, Heworth, William, still the only breadwinner, was employed below ground at the colliery as a stonemason. By 1911 his three eldest sons had joined him Joseph (22) and Christopher (21) both worked as shifters, Richard (15) was a screener, daughter Barbara (19) assisted her mother at home, Esther (17) was employed at the Co-operative store, the remaining children were scholars.
When war broke out in 1914 Richard was living at Felling, near Gateshead, he enlisted and was most likely first assigned to a local regiment. Prior to his departure for the front her married, exact date unknown, to a young lady named Mary Ellen.
In response to the Government’s formation of tunnelling companies formed by experienced miners many of whom were outside the normal recruitment age, during 1915 the British tunnelling companies were formed due to the fact that the British Expeditionary Force at the Western Front had discovered the Germans were mining to a planned system, something that the British had failed to do. Kitchener and the French field marshals investigated the possibility and suitability of forming British mining units and the idea was approved and the scheme initiated February 19th 1915. Receiving the sum of 2 shillings and 2 pence a day and assigned as Sapper 112518 Royal Engineers he joined the unit at Westminster, London, transferred to the 172nd Tunnelling Coy and as part of the British Expeditionary Force, June 14th 1915, he departed to France. During spring 1915 the 172nd Tunnelling Company was deployed in the sector of St. Eloi, The Bluff and Hill 60 near Ypres in Belgium. At Hill 60 after the explosion of five mines under the German lines the 5th Division briefly captured the top. They remained in the sector until being transferred between February to May 1916 to Neuville-Saint-Vaast near Vimy in northern France and remained there for a considerable time alongside the 176th T.C. Neuville-Saint-Avast was close to the German, “Labyrinth” stronghold between Arras and Vimy. The tunnellers had entirely taken over work on the shafts in the area from the French by May 1916.
Sapper 112518 Richard Ellison Royal Engineers was reported missing and later his death was presumed to have been on or since February 14th 1916. His sacrifice is recorded Bay 1, Arras Memorial to the Missing within Faubourg D’Amiens British Cemetery, Arras France which commemorates the 34, 785 servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who have no known grave and died in the Arras sector between spring 1916 and August 7th 1918. Richard was 19 years old.
His widow Mary Ellen received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at her new address of 28, Seventh Street South, Easington Colliery, County Durham. Mary Ellen remarried at Gateshead during the 3rd quarter (Jul/Aug/Sep) 1918 Edward Hodgson, details as regards any children or her demise as yet unknown.
Richard's youngest brother John Ellison born 1897 also served during the Great War as Private 100219 Royal Fusiliers. Killed September 21st 1918, aged 21 years he has no known grave, commemorated Panel 3, Vis-En-Artois Memorial, Pas de Calais, France.
William Ellison died in 1931, Jane Ellison nee Stephenson in 1938, both registered in the district of Gateshead, County Durham.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Richard Ellison is remembered at Heworth on H92.03
