Mervyn RICHARDS

RICHARDS, Mervyn

Service Number: 18017
Enlisted: 22 January 1917
Last Rank: Sapper
Last Unit: 1st and 2nd Field Troops
Born: Gympie, Queensland, Australia, 28 April 1896
Home Town: Ipswich, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Plumber
Died: Pneumonia, At sea, 11 July 1919, aged 23 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Buried at Sea Chatby Memorial; Alexandria, El Eskenderiya, Egypt , Chatby Memorial, Alexandria, Egypt
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Blackstone West Morton District Welsh Honour Roll, Chatby Memorial, Alexandria, Egypt, Ipswich Soldier's Memorial Hall Great War
Show Relationships

Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Mervyn was the 3rd of 8 children of John Richards and Louisa Ellen Lancaster, and was working as a Plumber in Ipswich, QLD when he enlisted in the AIF on 22 January 1917. He served with 1 Field Squadron Australian Engineers - ANZAC Mounted Division as a Sapper (Service No: 18017)

Mervyn had been in the Senior Cadets and Citizen Forces before enlisting. He embarked from Sydney, NSW on 9 May 1917 on board HMAT Port Sydney. He died on 11 July 1919 on board the Malta, having embarked from Egypt (Katara) for the reurn to Australia

Mervyn was buried at sea, and his Memorial Plaque is at the Chalby Memorial in Egypt.

Mervyn's older brother Ernest Morgan Richards also served with the AIF in WWI 

Read more...