Henry Richards (1896-1915)
Seaham lad in Canadian Army taken prisoner at Ypres died from effects of chlorine gas
Henry was the youngest of three sons of Northumberland-born wine and spirit merchant Henry Richards and his wife, Hannah. He was born in April 1896 and, like his brothers, was born in Seaham. When Henry was born the family had moved into their own house, having started married life living with Hannah’s parents.
July 1907 saw father Henry and the two youngest boys, John and Henry, travelling to Canada, sailing from Liverpool on board the SS City of Bombay, making for Sydney, Cape Breton. At some time Hannah, Henry’s mother, arrived in Canada. After the death of his father, Hannah remarried and moved west to Alberta.
On 23 September 1914 Henry travelled to the newly established training camp at Valcartier in Quebec and enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). He gave his mother, Hannah Marshall, in Edmonton, as his next of kin and his occupation as miner. Private 18986 was posted to the 9th Battalion which embarked for England on 1 October on board the SS Zealand and a posting to the training camp at Tidworth on Salisbury Plain. Transferred to the 3rd Battalion, he travelled with them to France at the beginning of February as part of the 1st Canadian Division, 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade.
After initial training with the 18th Brigade, the battalion moved into brigade support and in early April crossed the border into Belgium with orders to move at short notice, which happened late on the evening of 22 April 1915 near the town of Ypres.
Over 1400 Allied soldiers were taken prisoner on that first day of the 2nd Battle of Ypres, when chlorine gas was used by the Germans for the first time. About about 250 of the prisoners were from the 3rd Battalion, CEF, and one of them was Private 18986 Henry Richards, aged just 19. He was taken to Roeselare (Roulers) Camp, where he later died from wounds received in battle. He is buried in Roeselare Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
Civil Parish: Dawdon
Birth date: 19-Apr-1896
Death date: 26-Apr-1915
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 32 Church Street, Seaham Harbour (1901 census)
Religion: Church of England
Employment: miner (enlistment papers)
Family: Parents: Henry Richards, Hannah Richards
Siblings: Robert Richards, John Richards
Military service:
18986
Private
9th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
3rd Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force
Medal(s): 1914/15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Gender: Male
Contributed by Jean Longstaff, Durham