The Feature Page
of

3435314 CSM RICHARD EDWARD INGHAM DEARDEN
2nd Bn Lancashire Fusiliers

DEARDEN
"Richard Dearden was born in 1902, he lied about his age and gave it as 1900 so that he would appear 2 years older when he enlisted."

He enlisted into the 2nd Battalion the XX Lancashire Fusiliers in 1919.


He competed basic training at Wellington Barracks Bury and then was temporarily posted to a Light Infantry Unit until he could join the LFs in NOWSHERA INDIA in December 1920.


He gained the Number One Gun Layers badge in 1921 and was promoted L/Cpl in 1923.

Machine Gunners India

In 1926 he was returned to the UK at the end of his 7 years service and was placed on the reserve list for a further 5 years.



In 1927, his wife Emily presented him with his first born, a boy they named Ronald.

They were then living at 200 Grimshaw Lane Middleton Junction.

It would not belong before the Nation would be needing men like him again.


WW2
Richard Dearden heeded the call of the Nation and at the outbreak of WW2 he duly enlisted at Manchester recruitment centre for the duration of the war.

He was immediately promoted to the rank of Cpl, and sent on a training course to Glasgow Technical College
( I have been unable to discover what the training consisted of )

During the next 5 years his service becomes quite a confusing scene.

He is rapidly promoted to CSM.

He is listed as having seen action at Normandy, but he does not appear to have been with the Lancashire Fusiliers at the time
( He is shown to be with . 199 Infantry Brigade during 1940, this was an American Brigade.)

This may also tie in with his being shown as being with the 12th Army group ( another USA unit)

He is briefly at each of these Units:-
9 Infantry Training Centre.
6 " " "
5 Infantry Division as P/A to 11th Bn York and Lancs regiment.
Number 1 Civil Affairs Pool as P/A.
X(1) B .
21 Army Group.
X(1) List number 2, Civil Affairs advice unit, Second Army.

By 1944 he had another son named Roy, so his boys were 17 years apart.

He is shown as disembarking at Number 2 Disembarkation Camp Oxford in September 1945,
his documents are stamped A&O 229/305 P. Mil.Gov.

A fascinating man, who had a very interesting time as a CSM during the Second World war.

What he was doing may well remain a mystery.

He returned to Emily and his boys at the end of 1945.