Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Richard married Grace Burrow in 1909 they had a son Richard who married Edna they in turn had a Son they called Richard who served in the Australian Armoured Corp as a Regular soldier in Vietnam during 1967/68. Grace Burrow was my Aunt being my Father Benjamin Burrow's Sister. Major Richard Wiiliam Wells had been a member of a Citizens force based in Essendon prior to the start of WW1 and during the WW1 centenary commemorations a website for Essendon citizens who enlisted in WW1 shows a letter written by a soldier who served under Richard who tells his Mother that he was wounded in the 2nd Battle of Krithia and was moving down toward the beach to receive medical help. This soldier discovered Major Richard Wells lying wounded and he stopped to help bandage his Major who was shot in the groin area. Major Wells told the soldier don't worry about me lad move on down and get help for yourself but here take this purse as it contains five pounds belonging to unit funds. Richard obviously reached the beach and was taken on board a British Hospital ship where he died. Grace was living with her parents in Ballarat when she received a message telling of Richard's death and that he was buried at sea. Grace sent a letter to the Central Army records office asking for more information and was told that Richard had been buried at the Lancaster landing Cemetery at Cape Helles.
On the 25th of April 1915 Major Richard William Wells landed at Gallipoli and proceed up the hills to Pine Ridge where he gathered together diverse soldiers who were displaced form their own units. Richard had the men dig in on the reverse slope where they were able to resist the first Turkish counter attack. Richard's actions are reported in C.W. Bean's WW1 History. Bean also reported on Richard's advance at the head of his troops in the suicidal action in the Second Battle of Krithia. I have visited this Battlefield and walked across the land finding pick and shovel heads and barbed wire dug up by Turkish farmaers. i also visited the 'Lancaster Landing' cemetery to pay my respects to Richard and the fallen.
As you walk into the 'Lone Pine' cemetery the first graves you will see belong to 6 Battalion Soldiers. Sadly my Aunty Grace, Richard's Wife had a permanent nervous tic in one of her eyes. On reflection now I know what grief she must have experienced it is reasonable to assume that her nervous tic may have been triggered by her husband's death. My name is Bruce Benjamin Burrow I served in 106 Field Battery 4th Field Regiment of Australian Royal Artillery during 1967/68. I am a joint author and editor of Military History Book titled GUNNERS VIETNAM 67/68 which is available at the Australian War Memorial library and the National Library in Canberra.