Lieutenant Reginald Philip Edward RICHARDS
No. 143 Depot, Unit of Supply, Army Service Corps

Date of birth: 9th December 1884
Date of death: 28th January 1969

Died aged 84
Unknown
Reginald Philip Edward Richards was born at Farlington Cottage, Havant in Hampshire on the 9th of December 1884 the only son of Commander Phillip Thomas Richards RN of Farlington and Kate (nee Danby) Richards of 27, Rosary Gardens, London SW.

He was educated at Hazelwood School until April 1898 where he was a member of the Choir and was a member of the Football XI in 1897. He was Head of School in 1897. The school magazine wrote the following of his 1897 football season: - "Goal, a very fair custodian, with a good reach and usually safe, had not much to do in matches. A poor place kick."

On leaving the school the magazine wrote of him: - "Has been summoned to Charterhouse (a term before his proper time, most unfortunately for his entrance examination his work for the last term having been seriously interrupted by illness). He has been a zealous head of the School, a useful member of the Choir and Football Eleven, an excellent pianist, and a valuable member of the stage."

He went on to Charterhouse School, where he was in Pageites House from May 1898 to July 1904. He matriculated for Magdalene College Oxford where he played cricket for the College in 1908 and achieved a MA the same year. On leaving university he was accepted for a position as a schoolmaster at St Aubyn's School at Rottingdean in Sussex. He lived at "Beacon View", Rottingdean.

Following the outbreak of war he had difficulty in obtaining permission to join up from his employers but applied for a commission in the Army Service Corps (Mechanical Transport) on the 8th of June 1915 in an application which was supported by Mr. E.J. Stanford, Headmaster of St Aubyn's School.

He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Service Corps on the 5th of July 1915 and was posted to Aldershot for training on the same day. He joined the 31st Divisional Train on the 25th of July and was posted to the 31st Division Depot Unit of Supply at Ripon on the 27th of July 1915.

He was posted to Egypt and landed there on the 22nd of December 1915. He was promoted to Lieutenant on the 1st of March 1916 and was appointed as Officer Commanding No. 143 Depot, Unit of Supply at Port Said on the 26th of March 1916. He was taken ill at Post Said on the 22nd of May 1916 and was admitted to No. 31 General Hospital there on the 25th of May.

A Medical Board was convened at the hospital on the 6th of July 1916 to report on his progress: -

"Admitted with sore throat, shivering and headache and temp 102 degrees. Congested throat and secretions from both tonsils. Good progress to June 18th then relapse to diphtheria and recommended for return to UK."

He embarked for England from Alexandria on board the Hospital Ship "Essequibo" on the 20th of August 1916 and was admitted to the 3rd Southern General Hospital at Oxford on his return. He returned to light duty with the Army Service Corps at Kinmel Camp in North Wales where a Medical Board sat on the 27th of August 1916 which found him to be fit for general service.
He was posted to Prees Heath Army Camp in Shropshire as Officer in Charge of the bakery there and was posted to No. 2 Army Service Corps Depot at Woolwich on the 1st of May 1918. On the 11st of May 1918 he was posted to Halton Camp as officer commanding the supplies there. He was posted to the "Duty Pool", at Woolwich on the 16th of September 1918 while awaiting orders to return to Egypt.

He received orders to return to Egypt on the 24th of September 1918 and embarked from Southampton on the 5th of October 1918 on board the "Empress Britannic". He landed at Cherbourg from where he travelled overland to Taranto in Italy. There he boarded HMT "Malwa" at Port Said on the 25th of October 1918 where he joined 137 Company, Base Heavy Transport Depot at Kantara the same day. He was posted to 973 Company, Advanced Heavy Transport Depot at Ludd the following day and joined the Supply Depot at Raselain on the 29th of October 1918. He was admitted to 76 Casualty Clearing Station on the 13th of November 1918 suffering from dysentery and transferred to 36 Stationary Hospital two days later. He was transferred to 19 General Hospital at Alexandria on the 23rd of December 1918 suffering from jaundice where a Medical Board, which sat at Alexandria on the 31st of December 1918, found him to be incapacitated and unable to carry out military duties for a period of four months.
He was invalided back to England on board the Hospital Ship "Valdiva" the 11th of January 1919 and went before a Medical Board at No. 5 General Hospital at Leicester on the 25th of February 1919 where he was found to be fit for home service and was posted to the 22nd Line of Communication Company.

He was demobilised at the Officers Dispersal Unit in London on the 11th of March 1919.

He was married at St Mary's Church, Leicester to Laura Christine (nee Nugee) on the 7th of August 1915. They had five children, Dorothy Laura Kate, born on the 2nd of August 1916, Edward Reginald John, born on the 16th of January 1918, Edith Lucy, born on the 12th of December 1919, Elizabeth Mary, born on the 24th of May 1923, and David Andrew, born on the 28th of January 1929.

After the war they lived at St Marys, Glade Road, Marlow in Buckinghamshire.

He was later ordained and became Vicar and Rector of Bramber in Sussex.

He died at 4, Clarence Road, Tonbridge in Kent.
Went on to Charterhouse School

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