Arras Memorial
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Richard Oram was born 1891 at East Murton, County Durham, one of 9 children, of whom only 8 survived, 5 sons and 3 daughters, born to Christopher Oram 1852 of Cornforth and his wife Margaret Ann Rogers born 1854 at South Hetton, County Durham. They were married in the district of Easington in 1874. In the early years after his marriage he was working as an agricultural labourer living at 1 East Murton with his wife and 3 children. By 1901 the family had moved to Church Cottage, Dalton le Dale, Durham, in 1911 they were still living there and Richard was employed as a colliery labourer at bank. Richard married in 1915, in the district of Easington, Mary Ethel Gale born April 14th 1892 in the district of Hetton, that same year she gave birth to twins Elizabeth and Margaret.
Richard enlisted at Seaham Harbour and was assigned as Private 48423 to the 2nd/6th Battalion North Staffordshire Regiment attached to the 57th Brigade, 19th Northern Division. The Battalion was involved in Ireland during the uprising in 1916 and in France during 1917 - 1918. As Richard’s service record no longer exists, one of the 70 per cent destroyed during the blitz of WW2 it is impossible to know his exact movements. He must have had a furlough in England as in 1917 his wife gave birth to their third child, another daughter Mary E. Oram. Unfortunately, Mary died not yet one year old during the 1st quarter (Jan/Feb/Mar)1918 followed by another huge blow for her mother and extended family, the death of her father. Private 48423 Richard Oram was killed in action March 23rd 1918, aged 27 years. His sacrifice is recorded on the Arras Memorial to the Missing, bay 7 and 8, within Faubourg D’Amiens Cemetery, Arras, France, one of the 34,785 names of servicemen from the United Kingdom, South Africa and New Zealand who died in the sector between spring 1916 and August 7th 1918 and have no known grave. His widow received all monies due to him, a pension and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal, sent to her at 3, East End, Dalton le Dale, Murton Colliery, County Durham.
Mary Ethel Oram remarried in 1920 to John Berry and went on to have a further three children John Jnr born 1921, Mary Berry in 1928 and Marion Berry in 1938. Mary Ethel Berry died in 1976 in County Durham.
Richard Oram’s mother died in 1920 aged 66, his father in 1934 aged 82.
His daughter Elizabeth, known as Betty, married Robert Preece in 1945 and at the age of 99 witnessed the inauguration of a blue plaque commemorating the sacrifice made by her father and his brothers during The Great War. Betty lived to celebrate her 100th birthday in 2015 and marked the occasion at The Village Nursing and Care Home, receiving a telegram form Her Majesty The Queen and in the company of her family and Councillor Tom Pinkney, Chairman of Murton Parish Council who presented her with a bouquet of flowers. Elizabeth (Betty) Preece passed away a short time after.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Richard's two brothers Rogers and also Thomas died in the Great War, whilst Christopher was severely injured and invalided out of the Army.
Richard Oram is remembered at Dalton le Dale on D39.01 and D39.04 and at Murton on M47.01, M47.06, M47.09 and M47.12
