Driver Richard COMPTON
Royal Field Artilery 67125
The Compton family first appeared in Woodnewton, when James Compton from Nassington married Mary Elizabeth Hull in 1882. The Hull family had been living in Woodnewton since the middle of the 1700’s and descendants are still living in the village today. The couple lived in a cottage at the east end of the village, possibly tied to the Willowbrook Farm as James was listed as a Labourer during the 1881 census.
Mary went on to give birth to 13 children of which two died at birth. Richard, her second child, was born in 1887.
Richard is shown also as a farm labourer in the 1911 census, but on 16th August he had joined the Royal Field Artillery as a driver. This was only 12 days after the war began, so did he choose to join the Army to get away from the overcrowding at home. He was posted on 20th September 1911.
The horse-drawn Royal Field Artillery was responsible for the medium calibre guns and howitzers deployed close to the front line. All Drivers had to undertake a specialist driving course before receiving the designation of Driver and would have to demonstrate a high level of competence handling and controlling horses in very difficult environments. The gun carriages would have been approximately a ton apiece and manoeuvrability of such would have been daunting. Maybe Richard’s work on Apethorpe Estate included working with the horses, so this was the reason he was chosen for the role of driver.
Richard would have seen plenty of front line action and had been involved in many battles. He was wounded and left the Service on 17th July 1918. He was awarded the Silver War badge (no 424685). Richard married Kate Culpin in 1918 and his first child was born in September that year, so we must presume that he was back in Woodnewton by late 1917 or early 1918.
Richard and Kate lived in Kings Cliffe and both died in Peterborough in 1973 and 1967 respectively.