Rank: Lieutenant

Regiment: Wiltshire Regiment, 8th Battalion.

Died: 5th April 1916

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Richard Cannon was the son of Mr. W. Cannon and the late Mrs. Cannon, of Woodhall Spa, Lincs.

Born on March 5th, 1896, he came to Stonyhurst in September, 1908, remaining until July, 1913. He was a quiet, sensible boy, who impressed one as likely to make his way in the world. His robust frame and the energy he threw into games made him a useful member of class and playroom teams of football and cricket, and his imperturbable good temper made him everybody's friend.

He joined the Inns of Court O.T.C. in October 1914, and obtained his commission as 2nd Lieutenant in the 8th Wiltshires on March 17th, 1915, and was afterwards sent to join the 5th Bn. in Mesopotamia, and reported severely wounded and presumed killed on April 5th, 1916. For a long time his relatives were left in a state of uncertainty as to his fate. Father Edward Collev, S.J., M.C., C.F., who attended him when he was wounded, supplied us with all the available information we possess.

He wrote :—"The 13th Division took part in the evacuation from Suvla Bay and was disembarked at Mudros. Part of it, mostly 40th Brigade, was then sent to Cape Helles and had the unpleasant experience of a double evacuation. "

Reinforcements coming to join the division were detained, some at Alexandria and some at Mudros. Richard Cannon came out with one of these drafts, and I first met him in camp at Port Said in February, 1916. He was never on the Peninsula, and I do not know whether he got to Mudros or not.

The division was not left long at rest. It was embarked for the Mesopotamian Expedition on Feb ruary 15th, 1916. We embarked in the S.S. Oriana, a comfortable ship running to South America before the war. The passage took a little over fourteen days, during which period Cannon served my mass which 1 was able to say daily. We anchored off Koweit, transhipped, and proceeded up river some eighty miles to Basrah, where we arrived on March 1st, 1916.

After ten days the infantry pushed up river on barges. Units were much broken up, so I did not see much of Cannon till we concentrated at Sheik Saad, 400 miles higher up. We left Sheik Saad marching to Ara on March 31st, arriving there early next day. In the afternoon the division moved up and took over the entire position.

I spent the next two days in the trenches giving general absolution to small groups of men where 1 could find them. I paid Cannon a visit both on the third and fourth, and to Lt.-Col. C. Throckmorton, C.O. of the Wilts., I think, later. I heard his confession and gave him Communion at 9.30 p.m. on Tuesday evening, April 4th. The attack was at dawn next morning. He was unfortunately killed on the fifth.

The attack started after a heavy bombardment at 5 a.m., and was successful, but the Turks had practically evacuated the position. The troops moved on to attack the next position, and while the Wilts, were waiting for another regiment to pass through and relieve them, Lieut. Cannon was shot in the head. Some time during the day he was brought back to where they were collecting the wounded. He was quite unconscious. I gave him Conditional Absolution, and anointed him. He lay there several hours without showing any signs of regaining consciousness. They kept the worst cases in the hope of getting means of transport other than the Indian carts, which were rough and devoid of springs. About nightfall a river steamer arrived and he was carried off to it, and I saw no more of him. It has since been ascertained that he was embarked on this steamer, but nothing more is known. In my opinion he either died and was buried without any record being kept, or else, as is common with head wounds, he moved about and fell overboard. There were not orderlies sufficient to attend to the number of wounded.

There is little doubt that had he not been wounded on the fifth he would not have survived the attack on Sunday morning, the ninth, when the loss of officers was very heavy.

By all accounts, he was regarded as an efficient and popular officer, and his loss was much felt by his brother officers and men.

(Contributor: THR (Find a Grave ID 48277533)

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