Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From François Berthout, Australia and NZ in WWI

In this morning, the sun, in the dawn of the day, come to light up the name of one of my boys of the Somme who came from Australia and who fell here, on these peaceful and flowered fields of the Somme, in the silence and in Eternal Remembrance, I would like to pay a very respectful tribute to Corporal number 814 Joseph Roy Richards who fought in the 7th Australian Infantry Battalion and who died of his wounds 104 years ago, on August 20, 1916 at the age of 21 on the Somme front.

Joseph Roy Richards was born in 1895 in Beaconsfield, Tasmania, Australia, and was the son of Henry and Eva Richards. Joseph was educated at Violet Street School, Bendigo, Victoria, Australia. Before the outbreak of the war he was a sailor , was single and lived in Market Street, Eaglehawk, Greater Bendigo, Victoria.

Enlisted on August 18, 1914 in Bendigo, Victoria at the age of 19 in the 7th Australian Infantry Battalion, G Company, he embarked with his unit from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Transport A20 Hororata on October 19, 1914 and sailed for Egypt before reaching the Gallipoli Peninsula in early August 1915 and was punished with 24 hours of detention for being late for a parade on August 5, 1915. on August 12, Joseph was wounded in action and suffered from a shock concussion and was evacuated to a Clearing Casualty Staion for three days then he joined his battalion on August 15 and was again sanctioned with 168 hours of detention for being absent from a sapping party on the night of August 20 to 21 1915.
Joseph was then promoted to the rank of Lance corporal in Gallipoli on December 4, 1915 then he embarked on board the HMT Empress Of Britain for Egypt and arrived in Alexandria on January 7, 1916, the following month, he fell ill at Serapeum and was evacuated to the 2nd Field Ambulance then at the 1st Casualty Clearing Station then at the 1st Australian Stationary Hospital on February 15, 1916 suffering from "Debility". The following month, Joseph rejoined his battalion and embarked from Alexandria on March 26, 1916 for France.

Joseph was disembarked with his battalion in Marseilles on March 30, 1916 but two months later, on May 13, he fell ill and was evacuated and was admitted to Havre Sationary Hospital suffering from gonorrhea. Two months later, on July 30, 1916, Joseph was sent back to his battalion in the Somme and was promoted to the rank of corporal a few days later, on August 10, 1916.

Unfortunately, ten days later, on August 20, 1916, while fighting in the Mouquet farm sector, Pozieres, Joseph was shot in the abdomen and was evacuated to the 2/1 South Midland Casualty Clearing Station Special Hospital near Warloy-Baillon where he died of his wounds the same day, he was 21 years old.
Today, Joseph Roy Richards rests in peace with his comrades and brothers in arms at the Warloy-Baillon Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, and his grave bears the following inscription "Though lost to sight to memory ever dear".

Joseph, you who gave your heart in the hell of the battlefields serving your country with devotion and bravery, from Gallipoli to the Somme you have gone through the worst horrors than a young man and a generation of young man like you have endured, in icy water mixed with blood and mud in the trenches, holding on under a daily rain of deadly shells delivering the fire and steel of a world that went mad and drowned thousands of men under poisonous gas slicks in a war in which so many tears and blood were shed; in chaos and fury, in sorrow you fought like the bravest of men who saw fallen, day after day, friends, comrades, brothers in arms, men who served with admirable loyalty and courage in war-torn landscapes, men who never lost their sense of humor, their backs and arms exhausted by pain but who never gave up, who never bent is and who fought with their hearts for their families and for a peace they all wanted, so that the world never again knows the hell of war. Today on these ancient battlefields,the poppies bloom where you fell and symbolize the sacrifice and the blood that was shed by each of the men who fought and who fell here and that we will never forget, in these fields, in these cemeteries you rest in peace and in our hearts, in our thoughts, you will live forever, your graves and the history of each of you will always be cherished and kept alive so that we never forget what you have done for us who walk in your footsteps to understand and to know who you all were, more than soldiers, men and young, my boys of the Somme. thank you Joseph, you will never be forgotten and your name will live on forever.At the going down of the sun and in the morning,we will remember him,we will remember them. 

Joseph Roy Richards, known as ‘Roy’, was born in Beaconsfield, Tasmania.   He was the son of Henry & Eva Richards, of High Street, Eaglehawk.    He was a Miner, but had previously been a Sailor.   He was 19 years old and had no previous military service.   He was amongst the early volunteers for the Expeditionary Force, enlisting on 18.8.14.   The following day he left Bendigo for the Broadmeadows Camp.   He was allotted Service no. 814 and appointed to ‘G’ Company, 7th Battalion.   

The 7th Battalion left Broadmeadows Camp on 18 October, 1914, and embarked for service overseas on board HMAT ‘Hororata’.   Arriving in Egypt the battalion moved into camp at Mena, at the foot of the pyramids.   (6/12/14)     

In January, 1915, the Australian force was re-organized.   In the 7th Battalion ‘G’ and ‘H’ Companies joined to form the new ‘D’ Company.      This meant that all the men from Northern Victoria were together in one Company.   

The 7th Battalion was part of the force which landed at Anzac Cove on 25th April, 1915.   

Richards: “We landed on 25th April, and had a terrible time.   When we landed we had four shells in our boats, and we landed on the beach under a heavy shell fire from the enemy.”   [Bendigo Advertiser   June 25, 1915]   

In May, Lieut.-General Sir W.R. Birdwood, in command of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, was asked to provide part of the Australian force to assist in a British offensive at Cape Helles.    The 2nd Australian Brigade, which included the 7th Battalion, was one of two brigades provided.    The 7th Battalion left Anzac and disembarked at ‘V’ Beach, Cape Helles, on May 6th.  The battalion moved forward on May 8th in what was later known as the “2nd Battle of Krithia”  (8-11 May).   This battle achieved minimal gain and casualties were extremely high. 

Richards: Helles May 7.  “Shrapnel is now bursting over our heads.   It is 2 p.m., and we are acting as reserves and expect to leave for the firing line any moment.”  [Bendigo Advertiser  June 25, 1915]

The battalion returned to Anzac Cove on 17th May, 1915.    In July the battalion moved into the trenches at Steele’s Post.   Most days were spent under enemy fire, sniping at the enemy’s loopholes.    They repaired the trenches during the night.   

On August 8th the 7th Battalion moved into position at Lone Pine, preparing to participate in a Diversionary attack on the Turkish trenches on the 400 Plateau.    ‘D’ Company, under Lieut. W. J. Symons, was on the left, manning the line from Wood’s Post to Goldenstedt’s Post.    Heavy fighting ensued with multiple casualties.   

After the battle, the battalion remained in the trenches at Lone Pine.    On August 12 'Roy' Richards was slightly wounded and was admitted to 3rd Field Ambulance suffering from Shock and Concussion.   He rejoined the battalion on 15/8/15.   

On September 13, the battalion embarked for Lemnos & marched to Sarpi Camp.   The health of the men was of great concern and it was hoped to improve this by an extended period of rest.   The men were fed well, but the improvement in the men’s health was to be very slow indeed.   They returned to Anzac on November 21st.   

On 4/12/15 ‘Roy’ Richards was Appointed Lance Corporal.   

In December preparations began for the evacuation of Anzac.   The 7th Battalion was withdrawn on the night of December 19th.    They embarked for Lemnos and then disembarked in Egypt on 6th January 1916.  

Joseph Roy Richards went on to serve on the Western Front.    He was Promoted to Corporal on 10/5/16.   On 20/8/16 he was Wounded in the abdomen and Died of Wounds the same day.   He was Buried at Warloy-Baillon Communal Cemetery Extension, 5 miles W of Albert, France.   

“The First Lot.   7th Battalion.   The first men of the Bendigo district to volunteer for service in the First World War.”: Larna Malone