Current Information:

Age-38

Maroeuil British Cemetery, France

60th Division, made up entirely of 2nd line territorial battalions from London, went to France in June, 1916 where they remained until they were sent to Salonika at the end of the year. During the six months spent on the Western Front they were employed in holding the front line around Arras and were one of the few divisions in France to avoid the Battle of the Somme.

During the early hours of 30th September, 1916, a party from the 2/14th London battalion of 179 Brigade, carried out a raid on the enemy front line. The German trenches were entered, a number of the enemy were killed and five prisoners taken. However, it was not all plain sailing and the raiding party suffered nine casualties. Richard Bantoft, who was killed on this day, was likely to have been one of them.