Richard William 'Dick' Hudswelll was born during the First World War and between the wars worked as a tiler. His mother died relatively young in 1928. He joined the army early in the Second World War and married in Chelmsford in the summer of 1940, going on to have a daughter, born in January 1943. By then he had been abroad serving with the Eighth Army in north Africa and later in Italy. He died from wounds in November 1943 in Italy having never seen his daughter. His widow and daughter lived in Prykes Drive, Chelmsford.

Dick was born in the Chelmsfotrd registration district in 1915, the only son of John William Hudswell (1886-1943) and Eleanor Kate Hudswell (nee Bridger) (1884-1944).

The couple had married in Essex in 1910 and produced a daughter, Margaret H. Hudswell, born the following year.

Dick's mother died in 1928 aged 44 after having been in indifferent health for two years. At the time the family home was at 62 Upper Bridge Road and Dick's father was then working in the Turret Department at the Hoffmann's bearings factory in Chelmsford.

In 1937 Dick won second prize in the Chelmsford & Mid-Essex Amateur Fox-Trot Championship with partner Miss Ivy Wells. Third prize went to Emrys Frederick Sharples and Miss D. Fairbrass. Prior to the war Dick worked as a tiler for Mr. Cecil Stevens.

On 20th July 1940 Dick married Florence Adelaide Evans at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in New London Road, Chelmsford. Dick's home was then 18 Widford Chase and he was serving as Private 6022814 in the Army Catering Corps, attached to 5th Battalion Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment.

The couple had a daughter born on 17th January 1943 at St. John's Hospital, Chelmsford. Weeks later Dick's father died, aged 56, By then Dick was serving abroad with the Eighth Army with which he went to north Africa, Tunis and Italy.

Richard William HUDSWELL, Private, Army Catering Corps, attached to 5th Battalion

Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment. Killed in Italy. Aged 28

Dick was wounded in Italy and died from his wounds on 2nd November 1943, aged 28. He had been abroad for 18 months and had not seen his daughter born 10 months earlier.

At the time his wife and baby daughter were living with his in-laws  at 25 Prykes Drive in Chelmsford. His widow remarried in 1967 and died in 1987.

Today Dick lies in grave IX. C. 12 at the Sangro River War Cemetery in Italy. Fellow Chelmsfordian Arthur Edward Cornell was also killed on 2nd November 1943 and lies in the same cemetery.

111111