Walter H. P. Richards
| Walter Hayes Pickering Richards was born on 20th May 1881 at Stapleton, Gloucestershire, to Robert Edward Richards, Principal of the St Matthias Church of England Teacher Training College at Fishponds, and Katherine Maud (née Pickering). He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant on 1st September 1899 and entered the Royal Naval College at Greenwich. | ||||||||
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On passing out of the college, Walter was promoted to Lieutenant on 1st July 1900 and posted to the Portsmouth Division. In January 1902, he was posted to the China Station and served aboard the Canopus-class battleship HMS Goliath until March of the following year and then aboard the station flagship HMS Glory until April 1904. On returning to England, Walter was appointed Assistant Instructor of Gunnery before being posted to the Nelson-class battleship HMS Agamemnon, serving with the Home Fleet between June 1908 and December 1909. On disembarking from Agamemnon, he was transferred to the Chatham Division and appointed Adjutant. Walter was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1st September 1910. He married Mary Florence Clarges Pearson in July 1911, although there are no known children from the marriage. On 2nd August 1914, Walter was appointed Adjutant to the 9th Battalion of the Royal Marine Brigade and, on 26th August, landed at Ostend, returning to England on 1st September. He was posted to Victory for the Royal Marine Brigade on 12th September. On 28th September, Walter landed at Dunkirk and served at Antwerp. Between 29th March and 7th April 1915, he was with his battalion at Port Said and landed at Gaba Tepe on 28th April. Between 29th April and 2nd May, he served in the defences of the South Sector. |
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Walter was killed in the attack on Razor Back on 3rd May 1915. With no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Helles Memorial. His death was Mentioned in Despatches. |
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