Lister,+Richard+Veevers


 * Private Richard Veevers Lister** of the Royal Fusiliers "C" Coy. 26th Bn.(Bankers Battalion) No. B/20332.



1894: Birth on 27 Jan. Registered at Keighley. Son of Richard and Susannah. Father's occupation: Dress goods manufacturer. 1896: Baptism on 19 Jun at Keighley, St Peter. 1901: Census. Age 7 years. Living at 5, Sunny Mount, Keighley with parents, 3 sisters and 2 brothers. 1905: His Father Richard Lister died on 6th April. 1911: Census. Age 17 years. Living at 11, Buxton Street, Keighley with mother, grandmother, 3 sisters and 1 brother. Occupation: Junior Clerk at an accountants. 1915: Enlisted in the Royal Fusiliers - London Regiment, 26th 'Bankers' Battalion. 1916: 4th May. Embarked for France. Was a member of 'C' Company. Killed in action 7th October during the Battle of Le Transloy. He has no known grave.

Awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his war service.

Named on 7 war memorials: He is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France. He is also remembered in the Keighley Roll of Honour book in Keighley Library. He is also remembered in the 'Fallen' column of the St Peter's Church Roll of Honour. (His brother George is also remembered on this memorial as one of those who served and returned from the war) He is also remembered in the 'Keighlian' Magazine roll of honour for Keighley Boys Grammar School. He is also remembered on the Crossley and Porter Grammar School War Memorial, now at Crossley Heath Grammar School, Halifax. He is also remembered on the Bank of Liverpool and Martins Ltd war memorial in Liverpool. Currently held at Barclays Bank - in the banking hall, Water St., Liverpool. He is also remembered with a memorial inscription on the family grave at Addingham.

Three war gratuity payments were made to his family. They were: £2 12s 11d, made to his mother Susannah on 12th May 1917. £0 10s 7d, made to his brother George on 2nd May 1919. £3 0s 0d, made to his mother Susannah on 3rd November 1919


 * Men of Worth notes:**

His Keighlian School magazine obituary mentions that he had taken part in the battle of Flers-Courcelette from 15th to 22nd October in which the British Army first used tanks in the war. He died taking part in the battle for the series of Le Transloy Ridges between 1st and 18th October, actually being killed in action on 7th October (CWGC), although some sources quote 4th October as his date of death. As far as I can tell he was not posted as missing so I am unsure where this discrepancy came from. Both these battles were part of the great Somme offensive which lasted from 1st July until 18th November 1916.


 * Keighley News report dated 11th November 1916:**

Private Richard Veevers Lister (22), Royal Fusiliers (Bankers), second son of the late Mr. Richard Lister of Sunny Mount, and Mrs Lister, now of Victoria Park View, Keighley, has been killed in action. He enlisted in December, 1915, and went to the front in May last. Before enlistment he was employed at the Bradford branch of the Bank of Liverpool. He was educated at the Keighley Trade and Grammar School and at the Crossley and Porter School, Halifax. His older brother was wounded recently, but has now recovered, and is at present fighting at the #####. (Somme?)


 * Keighlian Magazine Obituary:**

RICHARD VEEVERS LISTER Private. Royal Fusiliers, Bankers' Battalion. Richard V. Lister was the second son of the late Mr. Richard Lister, Keighley, and left the School in 1904. After leaving the Keighley School he attended Crossley's Orphanage, Halifax, where he remained for five years. He entered business first with Messrs. J. Whitley & Son, Accountants, and afterwards took a position in the Bank of Liverpool. He was in the Bradford Branch of this Bank when he enlisted in the Autumn of 1915. He entered the Royal Fusiliers, Bankers' Battalion, and went to France in May, 1916. Private Lister took part in the Somme offensive from July to the time of his death, and was in the charge at Flers about three weeks before he fell. He was killed in action on October 7th, 1916.