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| Casualty No.: |
|
Ranks: |
Private |
Initials: |
R |
Service No.: |
374 |
|
| Date of Birth : |
- |
Place of Birth : |
Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham. |
Age at Death: |
37 |
|
| Unit: |
B Company, 28th Bn Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force. |
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| Place Enlisted: |
Perth, Western Australia. |
| Place of Residence: |
Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. |
| Home Address: |
St Aidan's College, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. |
| Previous Address: |
|
| Civilian Employment: |
Grocer (served 2 years apprenticeship at Blaydon Co-operative Society). |
| How Died: |
Killed in action |
| Date of Death: |
Saturday 29th July 1916 |
| Place of Death: |
Pozieres, Somme, France. |
| Battle/Campaign: |
Battles of the Somme, France, 1916. |
| Locally Commemorated: |
Ryton War Memorial, Station Bank, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Ryton Holy Cross Church Shrine, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Congregational Church, Roll of Honour, Barmoor, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
|
| UK Commemorated: |
- |
| Overseas Commemorated: |
- |
| Buried: |
London Cemetery Extension, High Wood, Longueval, Somme, France. |
| Decoration and Medals: |
1914-15 Star War Medal Victory Medal. |
| Photographs: |
3 |
| Service Records: |
Yes |
| Death Notice/Obituary: |
|
| Family Details: |
Son of Mrs Isa Richardson of 5 Runhead Gardens, Ryton on Tyne, Co. Durham.
Husband of Violet Richardson of St. Aidan's College, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
One son: Matthew H Richardson.
|
| Notes : |
Robert enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 2nd March 1915. He embarked with the Battalion per HMT Ivernia from Alexandria, Egypt, for the Gallipoli peninsula, 4th September 1915. Having spent some time on the peninsula he embarked to join the British Expeditionary Force in France, 16th March 1916. He disembarked at Marseilles, France, 21st March 1916. Robert was reported as absent from his unit from 9pm, 11th July 1916, until he was escorted back to his unit at 4.30 pm on 17th July 1916. He was awarded fourteen days Field Punishment Number 2 and automatically forfeited seven days pay. He was reported as missing in action, 29th July 1916. It was later confirmed by a Court of Inquiry that he was killed in action on that date. The grave of an unknown soldier was found early in 1936 during battlefield clearance at a point north east of Pozieres. The remains were carefully exhumed and reverently reburied. When this was done, Robert Richardson's identity disc was found. From an examination of the Imperial War Graves Commission's records at that time it was established that it was Pte Robert Richardson's remains. |
| Sources Used: |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission Debt of Honour Register.
National Archives of Australia.
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