Remembering Rifleman Tom Rushton

Rifleman Tom Rushton

Tom Rushton was born around 1894 and by 1901 he was living at 12 Lancaster Street, Chadderton with his parents Tom (41 – police sergeant) and Ann (37) and his brothers and sisters.

According to the 1911 Census, Tom (labourer - Bleach Croft Flannelette Mill) was still living with family with his father, now a police pensioner insurance agent, but the family had moved to 75 Todmorden Road, Littleborough.

Prior to enlisting in Manchester, Tom was employed at Shore Mills as a cardroom jobber, he attended Littleborough Parish Church day and Sunday schools and was a member of the Church Lads Brigade and Littleborough Conservative Club.

On Thursday 3 February 1916 his parents, of Lane Foot Farm, received a letter from the Church Lads Brigade HQ informing them that their 21-year-old son Rifleman C/530 Tom Rushton, (Church Lads Brigade Bn) 16th Bn Kings Royal Rifle Corps had been killed in France on Friday 28 January 1916 at Bethune (near factory trench) during heavy bombardment.

In a letter of sympathy on the death of his son the writer said: “It will be some consolation to you to feel that he has laid down his life that Christianity may be preserve to us, the most glorious of causes”.

Rifleman Charles Alletson of the C.L.B. Bn wrote to Mr Rushton and said: “I feel the loss very much, for we have been together since we joined, and it came as a terrible blow to me. I had only just left him to take a wounded man out, and when I came back a shell had burst in the trench and killed him.

“The burial took place in a cemetery behind the firing lines”

He is buried in grave L4 in Cambrin Churchyard Extension, Pas de Calais, France.

His name is on Shore Mills, the Oddfellows, Lodge 3397, Roll of Honour – Voluntary Section (now in the History Centre) and the Conservative Club War Memorials and also inscribed on Littleborough Cenotaph.

The Rochdale Observer dated 16 February reported on a memorial service in the Church of the Holy Trinity, Littleborough. There was a crowded congregation on Sunday 13 February 1916 in memory of Signaller R F Kenny of the Church Lads Brigade and KRRC and Rifleman Tom Rushton, both of whom were killed in France.