Richard was born on December 15, 1886, to John and Ellen Downing in the District of Prescott. He was the middle of 7 brothers and sisters, eventually with the family living at the turn of the century at 162 Carling Avenue, near Bronson Avenue (this building was demolished at some point in time, likely after World War 2 in the expansion of Carling Avenue into today’s major thoroughfare).

In the summer of 1914, Richard as both single and working as a merchant in Vankleek Hill near Ottawa. When World War 1 broke out in August 1914, he was one of the first Canadians to enlist (#16995) for the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force when he signed up on September 18, 1914 in Val Cartier, Quebec.

Assigned to the 1st Canadian Division, 2nd Infantry Brigade, 7th Battalion known as the British Colombia Regiment (G Company), they shipped out to England just 2 weeks later with more than 1100 men from Quebec City on HMS Virginian, landing in England on October 14, 1914. The 7th Battalion was deployed to the Western Front in northern France in February 1915, fighting in the Battles of Ypres, Gravenstafel, St Julien, Festubert and by spring 1916, preparing for battle at Mount Sorrell, helping to restore the allied situation at Sanctuary Wood.

By the month of June, German forces were concentrating on the Mount Sorrel area, located east of Ypres in south east Belgium, the only area of high ground still under in Allied control in spring 1916. British forces were amassed on the high ground of the Ypres Ridge at Zillebeke (referred to as Mount Sorrel), incorporating the double summits of Hills 61 and 62, which involved 3 divisions of the Canadian Corps, including the 1st Division. Of strategic importance to the Germans, this allied force was the final impediment to their control of the entire Ypres sector. The Germans attacked on June 2, 1916 at 08:30 hrs with heavy artillery, chlorine gas as well as the detonation of 4 secret mines which they had dug and located beneath allied lines. This attack resulted in German forces capturing the high grounds in this area. The Canadians were charged with re-taking this area of Hills 61 and 62 and a counter attack by the 3rd Division was launched the next morning at 07:00 hrs, effectively repulsed by the Germans with heavy Canadian casualties.

Canadian 1st Division General Arthur Currie was given the responsibility for retaking Mount Sorrel and both Hills, immediately after on June 4. After 9 more days of planning and fighting, the 1st Division accomplished this objective and restoring allied presence on the ridge with the major battle taking place on June 13.

The toll on both sides was significant. The 2 weeks of battle caused 8,700 Canadian casualties including more than 1,000 killed and another 1,900 missing in action and thousands captured as Prisoners of war. It was during this heavy fighting in the trenches of Mount Sorrell on June 11, 1916, at 19:30 hrs, Private Richard Lodge Downing, 29 years young, was killed in action.

Along with 2,458 other Commonwealth servicemen killed in this area in World War 1, he is buried at The Railway Dugouts Burial Ground (Transport Farm) in southern Belgium near Ypres, not far from the Canadian War Memorial located at the peak of Hill 62 (Mount Sorrel). This memorial is one of five official memorials located in the battlefields of World War 1 dedicated to the losses suffered by the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force.

Of note, 33 year old Private A.Y. Jackson of the 60th Battalion was also wounded at Mount Sorrel on June 3. A famed member of the Group of Seven painters. As well, McGill University sports star and graduate Captain Percival Molson of the Princess Pats was also wounded at Mount Sorrel on June 3. Re recovered but was killed in action in 1917, age 37.

Private Richard Lodge Downing, 7th Battalion, is remembered at both the Vankleek Hill War Memorial located on the campus of Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute as well as at St. Matthew’s. He rests today in Belgium.