Name
William Charles Richards
1882
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/09/1916
34
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
753
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
KNIGHTSBRIDGE CEMETERY, MESNIL-MARTINSART
C. 46.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Letchworth Town Memorial, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
William Charles Richards was born in Peckham in 1882 to Thomas Richard Richards, tea traveller, and Loretta (nee Wellman).
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, William, Alice (born 1888), Florence (born 1889) and Thomas (born 1891) were living at 12, Lyndhurst Grove, Camberwell, Surrey.
Census Records of William are difficult to find from 1891 to 1911, but is reported to have arrived in Letchworth in 1904 (at Topham Family).
On the 1911 Census William (bricklayer) was a lodger with the Topham family at 5, Moira cottages, Letchworth.
The photograph appearing here is from a newspaper article entitled "While the Herts. Regiment was resting after a spell of hard fighting" and is of the men from Letchworth. He names as Corp Marshall, who we assume to be the same man.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for William he enlisted in the Hertfordshire Regiment as Private 753 and was later promoted to Corporal.
He went to France with 1st Battalion on 6 Nov 1914 to be at Ypres. He took part in the Battle of Festubert (May 1915) and came home on leave in July 1915. Following his return he took part in the Battle of Loos (September-October 1915).
On 29 Feb 1916 the Hertfordshires transferred to 118 Brigade in 39 Division and were on Front line duties when William was killed in action on 10 Sep 1916 (reportedly from shellfire).
On 29 Feb 1916 the Hertfordshires transferred to 118 Brigade in 39 Division and were on Front line duties when William was killed in action on 10 Sep 1916 (reportedly from shellfire).
He sent home a shell fuse cap home for the museum.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £10 and arrears of £33 0s 7d was paid to Lizzie Saunders (married sister).
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Dan Hill, Janet Capstick, Jonty Wild
