Richard won the Victoria Cross...and now he has a fitting headstone

CROWDS paid their respects as a new headstone was unveiled in tribute to one of the greatest heroes of the First World War.

Private Richard George Masters, from Southport, was awarded a Victoria Cross when he saved the lives of 200 wounded British Army soldiers on 9th April 1918.

He had signed up aged 42 alongside his brothers to fight in the war.

An injury to his hand meant he was unable to use a rifle, so he joined the Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) attached to 141 Field Ambulance.

He carried out his act of huge bravery at a place known to the British Army Tommies as ‘Hell Fire Corner’ near Bethune, in France, the only person to get through to rescue the stricken soldiers despite the area being machine gunned, shelled and bombed by an aircraft.

Private Richard George Masters survived the war and lived until he was 86 years old, dying on April 4, 1963. He was buried in the cemetery at St Cuthbert’s Church in Churchtown in Southport alongside his beloved wife, Alice, who died on 17th June 1943 aged 65.

Army veterans Roland Sutton and Eddie Byrne went to visit his grave last year and struggled to find it. When they did, they didn’t think it was fitting for a Victoria Cross winner and began a campaign to provide a more suitable headstone.

They appealed to find the family through Stand Up For Southport and quickly came into contact with Private Masters’ great nieces, Judy Masters and Joanne Rich.

Over the past 13 months they have been working together to provide the new headstone and organise the ceremony.

Between them they funded the £2,000 needed for the headstone to be created.

The event was attended by a large crowd of people, including dozens of Army veterans, serving Army personnel, High Sheriff of Merseyside Lesley Martin-Wright, Mayor of Sefton Cllr

Clare Carragher, Reverend Rebecca Clarke from St Cuthbert’s Church, members of the public and representatives from Churchtown Primary School and Birkdale Primary School, where Private Masters had been a pupil.

The unveiling of the headstone was followed by blessing of the headstone, the exhortation, the playing of The Last Post, a minute’s silence, Reveille, The Kohima Epitaph, and a wreath laying ceremony.

The headstone was created by Weatherby Memorials Ltd while the order of service was printed by Print Quarter.

Private Masters’ great niece, Joanne Rich, said: “The service was amazing!

“I was thrilled that there were so many people there.

“It was lovely to see so many veterans, dignitaries, family, friends, supporters, schoolchildren and others.

“You don’t hear many stories like this one. What my great uncle achieved was exceptional.

“He was 41 years old when he signed up to join the British Army during World War One, but he went ahead and volunteered.

“He ended up playing a really big part in the war, saving all those people’s lives.

“My father and my grandfather used to talk about him all the time.

“He has always been quite a legend within our family.”

Private Masters’ great niece, Judy Masters, said: “The service and the unveiling of my great uncle’s headstone has been a really emotional experience.

“I wasn’t expecting to see so many people.

“I thought there might have been around 20 people there, but it was lovely to see such a huge crowd.

“Making this happen has been quite an experience. The four of us have funded this between us.

“We have held meetings over several months and around 200 cups of coffee in Wetherspoons in Southport to discuss it all! “We have got here in the end. It has taken a long time in getting here.

“I remember my great uncle very well. I was eight years old when he died.

“He had a long waxed moustache and he always used to