GUNNER 179410 ERNEST WALTER RICHARDSON
ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY
1899 – 1919
Ernest was born circa 1899 in Capel St Mary Suffolk, his parents were Walter George Robert Richardson and Elizabeth Ann Richardson nee Skeet, they married in the Samford registration district in 1889, they had three children. The siblings were Florence Caroline b1890 d1941 married James Skeet 1913, Frank Oliver b1892 d1917 Belgium, Ernest Walter b1899 d1919 France, all three children were born in Capel St Mary Suffolk. Their father who was employed as a farm worker was born in 1869 in Capel St Mary and died 1941. Their mother was born 1869 in Stratford St Mary Essex and died in 1945. The children were educated in Capel School and upon leaving, Frank was a Farm Labourer Florence worked in London as a Domestic Servant and Ernest worked as a Stockman on a farm.
Ernest enlisted on 7th November 1916 at Bury St Edmunds as a private and was placed on reserve on the 8th following training he was mobilized on 24th January 1918 and posted as Gunner 179410 Richardson Royal Garrison Artillery, he sailed for France on 30th January 1918 and joined 353rd Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery and took part in later actions of the war which he survived but while on Garrison Duty following the war, he fell ill and was admitted to No 10 Casualty Clearing Station France on 22nd February 1919 and died from Bronco- pneumonia on 20th March 1919 he was 20 years old. His elder brother Frank had lost his life earlier in the war on 18th August 1917.
Ernest is remembered with Honour at Tourcoing (Pont-Neuville) Communal Cemetery France Memorial M8. He also remembered on Brass Plaque in St Mary’s Church Capel St Mary.
Ernest was posthumously awarded:
-
•The British War Medal 1914-1918
-
•The Victory Medal 1914 – 1919
His Next of Kin would also have received The Memorial Plaque and Scroll.
