Name
Richard George Edwards
1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
01/06/1916
19
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Able Seaman
J/25767
Royal Navy
H.M.S. "Tipperary."
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PORTSMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
12
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Aspenden Village Memorial, Buntingford War Memorial, Buntingford
Pre War
Richard George Edwards was born in Buntingford, Herts, in 1897, the son of Walter Edward and Eliza (Elizabeth) Edwards and one of seven children.
(N.B. Naval records give birth date as 15 May 1898 but GRO lists September quarter of 1897).
They remained at Harestreet Lane in 1901 but by 1911 they had moved to Meeting Alley, Baldock Lane, Buntingford at which time his father was working as a roadman labourer and Richard was aged 13 and at school.
Wartime Service
Richard joined the Royal Navy as a 'Boy' on 11 July 1913, later rising to Able Seaman. He served on shore establishments and HMS Dreadnought. From 19 April 1916 he was posted to HMS Tipperary which was the flotilla leader for the 4th destroyer flotilla at the Battle of Jutland. On 1 June 1916 the ship was hit by gunfire from SMS Westfalen and sunk with 185 lost out of a crew of 197.
His body was not recovered for burial and his name is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval memorial.
Additional Information
Brother William served in the Bedfordshire Regiment and died from wounds on 26 April 1917. Brother Charles served with the Royal Field Artillery and died on 10 March 1919.
His mother Eliza (Elizabeth) received a pension in respect of her three sons but the amount is not known.
Acknowledgments
Kate Thompson, Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, Carol Emery
