Laying ghost of soldier to rest in France

3:01pm Thursday 21st February 2008

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ACCRINGTON grandmother Joan Walmsley hopes to be the first in the family to stand at her own grandfather's First World War grave.

Richard Edward Hacking died while serving with the Canadian forces at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, in northern France, in 1917.

Five years earlier he had left Accrington to make a new family home in Canada, when Joan's mother, Elizabeth, was only one year old, but he was never seen again.

Said Joan: "I am intrigued that my mother knew nothing about her father and there are no stories to pass down. I have spent some time trying to trace his missing years.

"His name does appear on the Accrington Cenotaph, under the names of the Accrington Pals, but I feel I should visit his grave and bring his memory back home."

Richard was married to Beatrice and lived in Craven Street, Accrington, with Elizabeth and her older sister Jane, when he went out to Canada, to start a new life. Continued Joan: "Unfortunately before he had time to build up enough money to send for his family to join him, the war broke out.

"He joined the Canadian forces, was sent to Europe and was killed and that was that. We never knew any details of his death."

Drawn to Canada, Joan visited the Imperial War Museum, in Ottawa, where she was haunted by a painting titled Ghosts of Vimy Ridge' and, aided by the Canadian Embassy, discovered her grandfather had actually been killed there himself.

"I now know his regiment, have his service number and grave number and feel that one of his family should go over there. No-one has ever visited his grave."