Name
Roland Charles Racher (MM)
2 Mar 1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/04/1917
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
10547
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
“D” Coy,
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Military Medal
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Essendon War Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Essendon, Wheathampstead Village Memorial, Not on the Hatfield memorials, We are not aware of any memorial in New Marford
Pre War
Roland Charles was born on the 2nd March 1894 in Holwell, Essendon, Herts, he was the eldest son of Stephan Racher, a stable groom, and Mary Jane (nee Huckle). One of 11 children, he was baptised on the 22nd April 1894, in Essendon, Herts.
The 1901 Census shows Roland aged 7, at his grandparents’, Thomas & Mary Ann Huckle, at Holwell Stud Farm, Hatfield, Herts. His parents were living at Whaley Road, South Mimms South Mimms with Charles’ elder sisters, Dorothy May (born 1895), Alice Maud (born 1896), Violet L (born 1898) and Grace (born 1898).
The 1911 Census shows Roland aged 17, living with his Parents, younger brothers , Wilfred (born 1902), Jack Henri Ivon (born 1906) and Sisters Dorothy, Grace, Zilpha Isabella (born 1904) and Betty M (born 1909) at Church End, Essendon, Herts. His occupation is a Domestic Gardener. The family later moved to Wheathampstead, Herts. There was also Harold McDonald (born 1907 died 1908) , Gavin McDonald (born 1900 died 1901).
In another biography Roland was recorded as from New Marford.
Wartime Service
Roland enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment, as Private 10457 and was posted to 6th (Service) Battalion. Roland and the Battalion boarded the Empress Queen at Southampton for Le Havre, France, on the 30th July 1915. They disembarked at 7-30am on the 31st July 1915. The Battalion were positioned in the Arras Sector and remained there for some time on rotation on Front Line duties. In 1916 the battalion were involved in Battle of the Somme at Bazentin, and on 14 Nov 1916 the Battle of the Ancre, (capture of Munich Trench). This action may have given rise to the award of his Military Medal.
Roland was killed in action on the 28th Apr 1917, during the Battle of Arras. The Regiment's War diary records how the Battalion assembled at dawn in the snow, having spent 3 days in trenches, ready to go into the attack during the Battle of Arleux. Their target was Greenland Hill near Arras. The Battalion's section of the War Diary states: "Objective almost gained. Parties dug in where they could. Suffered from enfilade fire." Only 58 men came back from this attack. Roland was not among them.
His Commanding Officer wrote to his parents after his death: "No medal was ever better deserved. He was always cool and cheery in action and will be greatly missed." Another colleague (name unknown) wrote: "It may afford you some slight consolation to know that he suffered no pain, being killed instantly by a shell. All of us were very sorry to lose him as he was one of the most popular men in the company."
Roland has no known grave; he is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. Roland was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field. An extract from The London Gazette dated 19th February 1917 reads, “10547 Pte R. C. Racher. Bedfordshire Regiment. Military Medal awarded to NCO for Bravery in the Field”.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £12 10s and arrears of £5 3s 2d was paid to his mother. In March 1920 his Father, Mother and his two younger Sisters, emigrated to Australia. Roland's Medals are still in the possession of his family. His Father Stephan also enlisted as a horse keeper on the 5th July 1915 aged 45 Years, in The Royal Army Veterinary Corps, as Private SE10359 Stephan Racher. Landing in France in September 1915. He survived the War and was discharged on the 22nd December 1918.
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners, Neil Cooper
Sue and Colin Rees, Stuart Osborne
