STODDART, Russell R
Army
Corporal
1/9th Battalion DLI
Unknown
31880
Son of William and Emma Stembridge of 23 Baliol Street. Russell's father was a gas stoker at local gas works.
He married Evelyn May Wren on 24th July 1914, they lived at Guys Cottages and had two daughters (Ivy, 1914, and Doreen, 1917).
Unknown
Barnard Castle
Unknown
Unknown
Killed in action
Gommecourt British Cemetery No. 2, Hebuterne Pas de Calais, France.
After his death, Russell's commanding officer wrote to his widow saying:
'Corporal Stoddart was one of my best non-commissioned officers and was respected by all. He had run forward from the front line with a party of six men in chase of the retreating enemy, and was just about to return to our line with a prisoner when he fell, shot through the head. His last words to me were "Leave me Sir, I'm done. "'
Teesdale Mercury-17/04/1918: News item: Another Brave Local Lad Shot Dead
Teesdale Mercury-26/03/1919: In memoriam
Teesdale Mercury-02/04/1919: In memoriam
Teesdale Mercury-28/07/1915: News item: Letter reporting death
Date of death changed from 29/9/18 to 28/03/18 to agree with CWGC data
Russell became a postman after his father's death. He had once been in the employment of Mr F Metcalfe, seedsman, as a marker gardener.
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