Mervyn RICHARDS

RICHARDS, Mervyn

Service Number: 18017
Enlisted: 22 January 1917
Last Rank: Sapper
Last Unit: 1st and 2nd Field Troops
Born: Gympie, Queensland, Australia, 28 April 1896
Home Town: Ipswich, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Plumber
Died: Pneumonia, At sea, 11 July 1919, aged 23 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Buried at Sea Chatby Memorial; Alexandria, El Eskenderiya, Egypt , Chatby Memorial, Alexandria, Egypt
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Blackstone West Morton District Welsh Honour Roll, Chatby Memorial, Alexandria, Egypt, Ipswich Soldier's Memorial Hall Great War
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World War 1 Service

22 Jan 1917: Enlisted AIF WW1, Sapper, 18017, 1st and 2nd Field Troops
9 May 1917: Involvement Sapper, 18017, 1st and 2nd Field Troops, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: ''
9 May 1917: Embarked Sapper, 18017, 1st and 2nd Field Troops, HMAT Port Sydney, Sydney
11 Jul 1919: Involvement Sapper, 18017, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 18017 awm_unit: 1st Field Squadron, Australian Engineers awm_rank: Sapper awm_died_date: 1919-07-11

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Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Mervyn was the 3rd of 8 children of John Richards and Louisa Ellen Lancaster, and was working as a Plumber in Ipswich, QLD when he enlisted in the AIF on 22 January 1917. He served with 1 Field Squadron Australian Engineers - ANZAC Mounted Division as a Sapper (Service No: 18017)

Mervyn had been in the Senior Cadets and Citizen Forces before enlisting. He embarked from Sydney, NSW on 9 May 1917 on board HMAT Port Sydney. He died on 11 July 1919 on board the Malta, having embarked from Egypt (Katara) for the reurn to Australia

Mervyn was buried at sea, and his Memorial Plaque is at the Chalby Memorial in Egypt.

Mervyn's older brother Ernest Morgan Richards also served with the AIF in WWI 

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