James Henry Richards



Jun 11, 1897

Born in Billings Bridge, Ontario to Thomas and Phoebe Magdalene (nee Evans) Richards

Jun 9, 1916

Attested into the 207th Battalion CEF in Ottawa, Ontario

Ø  Number 246468

Ø  Next of kin given as Mr. Thomas Richards, father, Billings Bridge, Ontario

Ø  Previous occupation given as Student

Ø  No previous military experience given

Ø  Religion given as Holiness Movement

 
The battalion trained in the Rockcliffe Camp, Ottawa, Ontario

 

Jan 18, 1917

The battalion left Ottawa and proceeded to Amherst, Nova Scotia to continue training

 

Jun 2, 1917

Embarked the SS Olympic in Halifax, Nova Scotia

 

 
 

Jun 9, 1917

Disembarked in Liverpool, England and proceeded to Seaford where the battalion was absorbed into the 7th Reserve Battalion to continue training

 

Sep 12, 1917

Transferred to the 21st Battalion

 

Sep 13, 1917

Arrived at the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry Base Depot) in Etaples, France as part of a draft of 42 reinforcements from England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion

 

Sep 27, 1917

After leaving the base depot, Private Richards joined the CC Rein C (Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp) in Villers au Bois

 

Oct 18, 1917

After leaving the reinforcement camp he joined the 21st Battalion in billets in Ourton, France

 

Nov 3, 1917

The battalion had moved into the Passchendaele front near Crest Farm overnight November 2-3.  The battalion came under attack almost immediately and very heavy fighting ensued.  During this German attack, Private Richards was killed in action and was given a burial in a nearby field.  When the war ended, his identifiable remains could not be located and his name was listed on the walls of the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium for those killed during the war in Belgium with no known grave.

 

 
Following the war the British War Medal, Victory Medal and Memorial Cross were sent to his mother, Mrs. Phoebe Richards, Billing’s Bridge, Ontario

 
The Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny) and Scroll were sent to his father, Thomas Richards, at the same address

 

According to the map coordinates recorded in his file (28.D.6.c.80.35),
his original burial location was just off Grenadiersstratt, Zonnebeke, Belgium.
This area is now a built up residential district, but he would have been
buried in the area between the 2 houses shown below

 

 



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