Orders, Decorations and Medals

Six: Captain R. Richards, King’s Royal Rifle Corps, captured at Gheluvelt, 2 November 1914

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, Transvaal (9228 Cpl., K.R.R.C.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (9228 Corpl., K.R.R.C.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (9228 C. Sjt., 1/K.R. Rif. C.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (9228 Sjt., K.R.R.C.) first two with edge bruising and heavy contact mark, fine; others good very fine and better (6) £400-450

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the 60th Rifles and King’s Royal Rifle Corps.

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Robert Richards was born on 20 May 1880 and was educated at the Royal Hibernian Military School and attested for the Royal Highlanders in July 1895. Transferred to the K.R.R.C. in 1896, he served in South Africa, May 1900-March 1903; Malta, November 1904-February 1905; Crete, February 1905-February 1906; Egypt, March 1906-February 1909. On the outbreak of war he was Company Sergeant-Major to “B” Company 1st Battalion K.R.R.C. and on 13 August 1914 entered the France/Flanders theatre of war. On 1 October 1914 he was promoted for gallantry in the field to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant. He was wounded in left shoulder and captured at Gheluvelt, 2 November 1914. Richards was held as a prisoner of war at Crefeld Camp and elsewhere, being promoted to Lieutenant on 10 May 1915 and subsequently advanced to Captain.He retired from Army on 2 November 1921. Postwar he served for some time as a Sergeant Instructor with the Irish Special Constabulary and as a Pay Clerk. In 1927 he applied unsuccessfully to join the Shanghai Police Force.

In the 1st Battle of Ypres, “B”, “C” and “D” Companies of the 1st Battalion K.R.R.C. were surrounded and overwhelmed at Gheluvelt. Some 60 were killed, 419 wounded and 490 taken prisoner during this action. Lieutenant Richards being one of the officers taken. Sold with about 80 copied service papers. Included amongst the papers is his report on the circumstances leading to his capture. In it, he firmly lays the blame on a Captain in the Coldstream Guards, for ordering his men to retire, thus uncovering the K.R.R.C. position.