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Arthur Everett Richards
266684, Private, 8th Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Died of illness, 25 June 1918, aged 38
Buried at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery, Iraq
CWGC registered (no family details)
Arthur Everett Richards, the son of Edwin Richards and Jane Richards (née Edwards) was born in Burton on Trent on 20 October 1880. The Census for 1881 records the family of three living at 18 Dukes Street, Burton, Edwin Edwards being described as a baker and confectioner. The family moved to Llandudno for on 22 March 1889, Arthur was admitted to St. George’s National School, Llandudno. In 1891, the census records the family living at “Longton House”, Old Road, Llandudno; Arthur (10) was a scholar and he had four younger siblings. In 1898, Arthur was appointed as a postman and in 1901 the family lived at 6 Victoria Terrace. He was still a postman in 1911, single and living with his parents at “Toxteth House”, Bodhyfryd Road, Llandudno.
Arthur Richards volunteered to join the army on 29 November 1915. He was put into the reserve and given a day’s pay. He was mobilised on 8 April 1916 and joined the 3/6th Battalion of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers on 12 April 1916. This was a third line reserve battalion of the Territorial Force that had formed at Caernarvon in May 1915. Arthur had the regimental number of 4253 though this was later changed to 266684. He was administratively posted to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion on 2 April 1917 but embarked the next day at Southampton for Alexandria where he disembarked on 30 April 1917. At Alexandria, he was hospitalised a couple of times with fever but embarked at Suez for Bombay on 25 June 1917 which is the same date that he was officially posted to the 8th (Service) Battalion. He disembarked at Bombay on 7 July 1917 and was attached to No 5 Training Battalion at Kirkee near Poona on 11 July 1917. Arthur left for the 8th RWF in Mesopotamia on 16 December 1917 and joined it on 8 March 1918. The 8th RWF was the first of the regiment’s New Army battalions, formed at Wrexham in August 1914. Before moving to Mesopotamia, it had served in Gallipoli and Egypt.
Arthur Richards was admitted to No 39 Field Ambulance on 16 June 1918 and transferred to No 20 Casualty Clearing Station two days later. He was admitted to No 23 British Stationary Hospital at Baghdad on 21 June 1918 and died there of malaria on 25 June 1918. He was buried at Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery.
Known memorials:
- Llandudno Roll of Honour
- Llandudno War Memorial
- Memorial Chapel, Holy Trinity Church, Llandudno
- English Presbyterian Church, Llandudno
- Family memorial, Great Orme’s Head Cemetery
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