RICHES, Edward Victor
| Service Number: | 4503 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 10 January 1916, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 1st to 5th Divisional Signal Companies |
| Born: | London, England, September 1897 |
| Home Town: | Torrensville, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Richmond Public School and Adelaide School of Mines |
| Occupation: | Engineer's apprentice |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 16 November 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Woodville Kilkenny Church of St. Edward Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4503, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Mar 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4503, 27th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Mar 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4503, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Adelaide | |
| 15 Nov 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sapper, 4503, 1st to 5th Divisional Signal Companies, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4503 awm_unit: 1st Australian Division Signals Company awm_rank: Sapper awm_died_date: 1917-11-15 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Woodville High School
Edward Victor Riches was born in September 1897 in London, England. His parents were Robert William Hickman Riches and Elizabeth Riches, and he was one of their four sons. Edward and his family later migrated to Australia, settling in Torrensville, South Australia.
Riches' journey in education began at Richmond Public School and then the Adelaide School of Mines, where he pursued practical, technical education. This background prepared him for a career in engineering. Upon finishing school, he secured a position as an engineer’s apprentice.
Riches at the age of 18, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on January 10, 1916, in Adelaide, South Australia. His service number was 4503, and he was initially attached as a Private in the 27th Infantry Battalion. On 25 March 1916, Riches embarked on the HMAT Shropshire (A9) which set sail from Adelaide to join the fight overseas.
He moved from an infantry role to Sapper in the 1st to 5th Divisional Signal Companies, a progression that may have stemmed from his background as an engineer's apprentice. Sapper were responsible for the essential communications infrastructure, including laying telephone wires, maintaining signals and ensuring communications on the battlefield even in chaotic situations. This was a vital role to ensure the success and survival of military operations.
His service papers record his rank as Sapper, and his final assignment was with the 1st Australian Division Signals Company, a unit responsible for setting up and maintaining communication lines on the battlefield. As a member of the Divisional Signal Companies, Riches’ role was to ensure communications between units, as communication between commanders and soldiers on the ground was essential to adapt to rapidly changing combat conditions. Signalmen like Riches were often required to venture into the dead space between enemy and allied trenches, to install and repair telephone lines, send messages via signal flags, lamps and telegraphs. The work was extremely dangerous, as enemy snipers, machine gun fire and artillery fire posed a constant threat.
His final posting was in Belgium, during which time he took part in operations around Ypres. The most notable was the Third Battle of Ypres (as known as Passchendaele), which took place from July to November 1917. It was famous for its extreme loss of life and the horrendous weather conditions, as constant rain turned the battlefield into a swamp, making movement extremely difficult. Sappers like Riches were particularly vulnerable during large-scale attacks, as they had to maintain lines of communication amid the chaos of artillery fire and advancing troops. It was during this battle that Riches lost his life.
On 15 November 1917, Edward Victor Riches was killed in action while serving in Belgium, aged 20.
Riches’ body is buried in Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Belgium. As this cemetery is also the resting place of other soldiers from the Ypres campaign. His grave is a tribute to his dedicated service and sacrifice.
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