Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Richard Tryon, born in the July quarter of 1837 in Bulwick Park, Northamptonshire and baptised on the 26th September 1837 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Bulwick (son of Thomas Tryon, 1802-1872 and Anne Trollope, 1799-1877) and his wife Jane Anna Lucy Tryon (nee Johnson (formerly Ewart) married in the April quarter of 1867 in the Oundle, Northamptonshire district), born 1838 in Dowsby, Lincolnshire and baptised on the 2nd December 1838 in St. Andrew’s Church, Witham on the Hill, Lincolnshire (daughter of William Augustus Johnson, 1778 and Lucy Foster, 1798). Richard was born on the 17th May 1868 in Loddington, Leicestershire and baptised on the 17th May 1868 in the Church of St. Michael & All Saint’s, Loddington, he had one sibling, a sister Mary Lucy, born in the October quarter of 1870 in Loddington and baptised on the 16th June 1870 in the Church of St. Michael & All Saint’s, Loddington, in April 1871 the family home was at The Hall, Loddington. In April 1881 Richard was absent from the family home at The Lodge, Burley Road, Oakham, Rutland, residing there was with his father living from his Sheriff’s income from land and houses, his mother and siblings, Mary, a schoolgirl, Jane Matilda, a schoolgirl, born in the October quarter of 1872 in Loddington and baptised on the 15th October 1872 in the Church of St. Michael & All Saint’s, Loddington, Henry, a schoolboy, born in the October quarter of 1874 and baptised on the 12th October 1874 in All Saint’s Church, Oakham, Georgina Catherine, a schoolgirl, born in the October quarter of 1875 and baptised on the 2nd October 1875 in All Saint’s Church, Oakham, Julian, a schoolboy, born in the October quarter of 1876 and baptised on the 6th November 1876 in All Saint’s Church, Oakham and Margaret Constance, born in the July quarter of 1878 and baptised on the 25th July 1878 in All Saint’s Church, Oakham, the latter four siblings were all born in Oakham. In April 1891 Richard remained absent from the family home at The Lodge, Burley Road, Oakham. Residing there was his father, a magistrate, living on his own means, his mother and siblings, Jane, Georgina, a schoolgirl, Julian, a schoolboy, Margaret, a schoolgirl and Henry, a schoolboy. In March 1901 Richard was living on his own means and was residing in the family home at 48, Draycott Place, Chelsea, Middlesex, together with his wife, Edith Campbell Tryon (nee Watson, married in the July quarter of 1894 in the Paddington, Middlesex district) born 1871 in Regents Park, London. Richard and Edith had two children, Richard George Laurence born on the 19th August 1902 in Chelsea and Julian Guy, born on the 5th November 1907 in St. Malo, France. Richard’s younger brother Henry was killed in action on the 15th September 1916.
FAMILY NOTE: Richard’s mother had previously married John William Cheney Ewart on the 15th March 1859 in St. Andrew’s Church, Witham on the Hill, John was born in 1833 in St. Marylebone, Middlesex and was baptised on the 16th December 1834 in the Parish Church, St. Marylebone, after marriage they resided in the family home at Loddington Hall, High Street, Loddington. John died at Castle Gate House, Grantham, Lincolnshire on the 16th January 1865, aged 28 years and was interred on the 21st January 1865 in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Ashby Folville, Leicestershire.
Richard’s Army enlistment documents were not researched, and as such all that is known of his military service is that he was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own), and was posted as a 2nd Lieutenant to the Rifle Brigade and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 29th November 1914. At the time of his death, he was attached to the 2nd Battalion of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps. He was awarded the 1914 Star with Clasp & Rose, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The War Diary records: 10 Jan-15- A good deal of firing North of the canal (1st Brigade) last night. -?- morning. – Bombardment 11 o clock. – After heavy rifle fire and artillery bombardment the attack commenced at 2.00pm. At 2.10pm the assault succeeded but the Machine Gun post could not be held and by order of General Officer Commanding 2nd Brigade whose Headquarters were up at the brick stacks from 11.00pm, it was arranged to hold and strengthen our Observation Post only, on the embankment, and dig a new line of trench from close below it to join our own line at night, This later proved to be impractical owing to the swampy nature of the ground and the old line back to the culvert was taken up again instead. See account of the operations by Major PHILIPS attached. Casualties, Captain TRYON, RIFLE BRIGADE and 2nd Lieutenant LAWRENCE killed. 2nd Lieutenant DOWDEN and 2nd Lieutenant BULLEN wounded. Casualties among NCO’s and men extremely difficult to estimate. Put down as approximately 20 killed and forty wounded. During the night the Observation Post, being meanwhile strengthened with -?_ and of a relief party of Territorial ROYAL ENGINEERS was attacked 3 times by the enemy but was successfully held, 2nd Lieutenant AMPHLETT-MORTON and 2nd Lieutenant BRISTOWE however being killed and wounded respectively and some further casualties occurred. A Trench Mortar brought up in rear of the Post having fired 5 or 6 rounds burst.
Extract taken from The Rifle Brigade Chronicle, Roll of Honour, pages 142 & 143.
“PAST” OFFICERS SERVING WITH OTHER CORPS.
CAPTAIN R. TRYON. (Attached 60th Rifles.)
RICHARD TRYON was the eldest son of Captain Richard Tryon of The Lodge, Oakham, who served in the Regiment from 1854 to 1867, and was born 17 May 1868 and was educated at Harrow and was gazetted to the Regiment from the Militia on 17 January 1891 and joined the 3rd Battalion at Jullundur. He became Lieutenant 3 September 1892 and retired on 27 November 1895 joining the Northamptonshire Yeomanry and the Reserve of Officers. Upon war breaking out he was gazetted Captain in the 6th (Reserve) Battalion and was attached to the 60th Rifles and was killed in action near Cuinchy in France on 10 January 1915.
His Commanding Officer wrote how the enemy having occupied a very important position, the 60th were ordered to attack it. “Tryon seeing a brother-officer in difficulties rushed forward with some men to reinforce him. When there were only nine men left, they were attacked by a large body of Germans and Tryon was killed in driving off the attack, no doubt through helping his brother-officer to get back to safety. Captain Tryon was a most gallant officer and a fine Company Commander. . . .”
He was a nephew of Lieutenant Henry Tryon who fell so gloriously in the attack on the Russian advanced posts before Sebastopol on the night of 20 November 1854, and also a nephew of Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon who was lost with his Flagship, H.M.S. Victoria in 1893.
He married in 1894 Edith Campbell Watson of Colworth, Bedfordshire and leaves two sons.
On Friday January 22nd 1915, The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “DISTRICT WAR ITEMS.” – RUTLAND OFFICER KILLED. – Captain Richard Tryon, Rifle Brigade, attached King’s Royal Rifle Corps, who was killed on January 10th, was the eldest son of Captain Richard Tryon, of The Lodge, Oakham, and of Mrs. R. Tryon, of 70, Eaton Place, S.W., and nephew of Vice Admiral Sir George Tryon, who was drowned in his flagship, the Victoria, in 1891. He married in 1894, Edith Campbell, eldest daughter of Mr. William Clarence Watson, of 39, Gloucester Square, and of Colworth, Bedfordshire, and leaves two sons. He was born in 1868. Captain Tryon’s grandmother was a sister of the first Lord Kesteven.
On Friday December 3rd, 1915, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page four, under the heading. – OAKHAM. – The Late Captain Tryon’s Estate. – Capt. Richard Tryon, Rifle Brigade, attached to the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, of the Army and Navy Club, Pall Mall, formerly of The Lodge, Oakham, who was killed in France on January 10th last, eldest son of the late Capt. Richard Tryon, and nephew of Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon, who was drowned in his flagship The Victoria in 1891 left unsettled property of the value of £364 19s 10d. Probate is granted to the widow, Mrs. Edith Campbell Tryon, of 11, Gerald-road, Eaton-square.
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