Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
 
Memorialised at Sandgate Cemetery.

106 years ago today, on the 14th March 1917, Private Leslie Alexander Richards, 53rd Battalion (Reg No-2231, stretcher bearer), railway employee from the Imperial Hotel, Clifton, South Coast, New South Wales, was Killed in Action by an enemy artillery shell in his dug-out at Le Transloy, France, age 28.

Born at Wallingat, near Bungwahl, New South Wales on the 24th March 1888 as Leslie Andrew Alexander G Paterson, father's name A. G. Pomroy, and mother Margaret Murray Richards nee Paterson (remarried to Percy Gorrey, died 4.8.1968, sleeping here, name not inscribed at gravesite, from 44 McMichael Street, Maryville, N.S.W.); stepson to John Richards, Les enlisted on the 28th February 1916 at Bathurst, N.S.W.

Younger brother John (Jack, born Bungwahl, New South Wales, 15.11.1891, fireman and engine driver from 44 McMichael Street, Maryville, New South Wales and 49 Downie Street, Maryville, N.S.W., enlisted 31.3.1917, 5th Railway Unit, RTA 20.4.1919, 2nd Australian Light Railway Operating Company, medically unfit, laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery on the 15th September 1971, age 79). GENERAL-37A. 42. No headstone. Wooden cross erected - 29.6.2019. I submitted an application to DVA May 2021 asking for a Commonwealth War Graves Plaque, curbing and marble chip to restore Honour and Dignity to Mr. Richards, and this was accepted August 2021. I will post photos when gravesite complete.

Younger brother James George (Jim, born Newcastle, New South Wales 1890, signalman from South Head Signal Station, Sydney, New South Wales, enlisted 15.9.1915, Australian Corps Signal Company, Reg No-6804, RTA 27.6.1919, died 20.9.1945, Eastern Suburbs Memorial Park, N.S.W., service record states Died after Discharge) also served 1st A.I.F.

Leslie is resting at the AIF Burial Ground, Flers, France. Plot V Row B Grave 29.

Mr. Richards’s name has been inscribed on the Hamilton Superior Public School Roll of Honor, St Pauls (Anglican) Church Memorial, Nabiac, Bungwahl World War 1 Roll of Honour, NSW Govt Railways and Tramways Roll of Honour, 1914-1919 and The Capt. Clarence Smith Jeffries (V.C.) and Pte. William Matthew Currey (V.C.) Memorial Wall.

Place of Association – Bungwahl, New South Wales, Australia.

I have placed poppies at the Richards and Paterson memorialised gravesite in remembrance of Les’s service and supreme sacrifice for God, King & Country. ANGLICAN 1-32. 47.

Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.

For more detail, see “Forever Remembered “
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/

Lest We Forget.

Leslie Alexander RICHARDS (Service Number 2231) was generally known by that name but sometimes by the name PATERSON. He was the ex-nuptial son of his mother. His birth, on 24th March 1888, at Wallengat, near Bungwahl, was registered under her maiden name, Paterson.  She afterwards married John Richards, who left her around 1906, and she then took up with, and after the war married, Percy Gorrey.  At the age of 18 Les left home and went to live with his mother’s brother, William Paterson, a policeman, and his family.

Les joined the NSW Governemnt Railways as a temporary porter in the Sydney District in October 1913. A year later he was made permanent.  In October 1915 he became an assistant guard.  In February 1916 he was granted leave to enlist in the AIF, and completed his enlistment at Bathurst, although he had first applied at Town Hall, Sydney. He gave his uncle (then stationed at Mosman) as his next of kin, and his own postal address as care of the Imperial Hotel, Clifton.

Ahe was lotted to the 4th Reinforcements of the 53rd Battalion. He was embarked from Sydney in July 1916 and landed in England in September.  He was sent to France in November and after some weeks treatment for venereal disease was discharged to the base at Etaples. At the end of the year he was sent to join his unit.  He was ‘taken on strength’ by the 53rd Battalion on New Year’s Day 1917. On 14th March 1917 while working as a stretcher bearer, he was killed in action by a shell that hit the trench he was in.  He was initially buried where he fell, ½ mile S of Héninel, 5¼ miles SSE of Arras, but after the war his remains were exhumed and re-interred in the AIF Burial Ground, Grass Lane, Gueudecourt, three miles SSW of Bapaume.

Competing claims to his few personal effects and to his war medals were made by his mother and his uncle, who was also named as his executor.  In view however of his mother having maintained him to the age of 18, and his stepbrothers (who had prior rights to his uncle) also wishing it, his medals eventually were given to his mother.

- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.