RICHARDS, Julian Walter
| Service Numbers: | 2015, NX142662 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 January 1915, Senior Cadets 2.5 years |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Last Unit: | HQ Eastern Command |
| Born: | ORANGE, NSW, 29 November 1895 |
| Home Town: | Vaucluse, Waverley, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Student |
| Died: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia , 14 August 1966, aged 70 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, NSW |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2015, 4th Infantry Battalion, Senior Cadets 2.5 years | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 Apr 1915: | Embarked Private, 2015, 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Kyarra, Sydney | |
| 13 Apr 1915: | Involvement Private, 2015, 4th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Kyarra embarkation_ship_number: A55 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Jun 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 4th Infantry Battalion | |
| 15 Aug 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 4th Infantry Battalion | |
| 2 Oct 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 4th Infantry Battalion | |
| 28 Jan 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 4th Infantry Battalion | |
| 2 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 1st Machine Gun Company | |
| 19 Sep 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 1st Machine Gun Company | |
| 29 Jun 1917: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 29 June 1917 on page 1393 at position 142 | |
| 4 Oct 1917: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 4 October 1917 on page 2625 at position 6 | |
| 23 May 1918: | Honoured Military Cross, Broodseinde Ridge, Broodseinde Ridge 4-6th October 1917 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in charge of a machine gun group during three days operations. When his communications were cut, and a counter attack was anticipated, he twice went out under heavy fire to visit each gun.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 150 | |
| 25 Aug 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Captain, 1st Machine Gun Company, 2nd MD | |
| 4 Nov 1919: | Wounded AIF WW1, Captain, 1st Machine Gun Company, Third Ypres, SW left arm, leg and buttock severe |
World War 2 Service
| 30 Apr 1946: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lieutenant Colonel, NX142662, HQ Eastern Command |
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Help us honour Julian Walter Richards's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Robert Kearney
From Gallipoli Association
Captain Julian Walter Richards MC, Commander, 1st Machine Gun Company, 4th Infantry Battalion from Vaucluse, NSW.
A 19 year old student when he enlisted as a Private on 18 January 1915, he embarked for overseas with the 5th Reinforcements of the 4th Battalion from Sydney aboard HMAT Kyarra #OTD in 1915.
While serving at Gallipoli, he was promoted to Corporal on 17 June, to Sergeant on 15 August and was appointed a Second Lieutenant on 7 October 1915.
Back in Egypt, he was promoted to Lieutenant on 28 January 1916 and then proceeded to France in March where he was later promoted to Captain on 19 September and appointed commander of the 1st Machine Gun Company on 28 December 1916.
He was Mentioned in Despatches (MID) on two separate occasions in Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatches of 13 November 1916 and of 9 April 1917 for distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty while in the field.
Cpt Richards was awarded the Military Cross (MC) for conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in action near Passchendaele, Belgium on 4-6th October 1917 (Broodseinde Ridge). During a heavy hostile bombardment on the Divisional front that took out the telephone lines, he twice went out and visited his guns personally assuring himself that they were alright and had sufficient supplies of ammunition.
On his way back to his headquarters, he was wounded and had to be evacuated for medical treatment. He was sent to England and then back to Australia, arriving on 24 May 1918.
He went on to serve in the Second World War as a Lieutenant Colonel until 30 April 1946.
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