Name
Frederick George Richmond
Circa 1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/09/1916
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
6901
London Regiment (London Scottish)
1/14th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 9 C and 13 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hitchin memorials (*1)
Pre War
Frederick was born around 1884 in Hitchin and christened on 9 November 1884. His parents were William Hill (from Peterborough) and Janet Richmond from Hitchin. His grandparents came from Scotland and his great grandfather fought in ‘the thin red line’ in the Crimean War.
In 1881, before Frederick’s birth, the family were living in Bassingbourn, Cambs, at number 4 - possibly Newtons or Westons Cottages. William was working as a railway permanent way inspector. The census recorded parents William Hill (33) and Janet (28). Their children were: James William (7), Mabel (5), Leonard (4) and Lily (2). It is believed that an older sister Hilda was missing from this list.
By 1891 the family were living at 42 Dacre Rd, Hitchin, where they remained in the following censuses. Present were both parents, William recorded as a railway inspector, and all the children listed above except James. New siblings were Walter Sidney and Frederick George (both 6), Gertrude (5), Joseph V (3) and Janet Gladys just 3 months old.
In 1901 both parents were present, William working as a railway permanent way inspector. Mabel and Lily were absent, probably left home, Leonard, Frederick now 16 and a printer’s assistant, Walter (now Sidney), Gertrude, Joseph, Janet (now Gladys) were all there and they had been joined by Ivy – curiously missing from the above but appears as the same age as Janet Gladys. A boarder Walter E Batchelor (21).
Frederick’s father, William Hill Richmond, died in 1904. So in 1911 Janet was a widow and listed as head of the household. Although a widow, the census recorded her as married for 40 years with 11 children, all living. The children who were still present were: Leonard, Frederick now 26 and working as an engineer’s painter, Joseph, Gladys and Ivy.
Janet died in 1914
Frederick’s service record shows that he attested in Hitchin on 19 November 1915 (not signed as approved until 23 July 1916) and into the 14th Battalion London Regiment (London Scottish) and transferred to the Reserve on the 20th. He was living at 42 Dacre Road, Hitchin, was a painter for the Great Northern Railway. He had already served for three years with the Herts Volunteers – presumably they men the Territorials. He was 30 years a 1 month old and gave his sister Ivy as his next of kin.
Before joining the army he had been in the Boys' Brigade and in the Volunteers. He worked as a painter on the Great Northern Railway at Hitchin.
The service record also clarifies his family, as written down on 28 April 1919, “None” is written against widow, children, father and mother. However, his siblings were: Hilda (45, with the surname Batchelor, William (44), Mable (41, now Whitworth), Lily (41, now Halsey), Lionel (40), Sidney (38), Gertrude (36), Joseph (34), Gladys (28) and Ivy (25). Ivy was the housekeeper for her late mother.
Officially Frederick was recorded as born in Hitchin and enlisted there.
Wartime Service
Frederick was given the Regimental Number 6901. He was posted to the 14th Battalion (County of London) London Scottish. Home service from 19 November 1915, but in the Reserve until he was mobilized on 19 February 1916 to 9 July 1918. He left Southampton and landed in Le Harve, France on the 10th and served overseas until his death. He had had about 4 ½ months of training. The was probably shortened to help replace the losses in the Somme in July 1916.
The 14th Battalion (County of London) London Scottish which was part of the 168th Brigade in the 56th (1st London) Division and sent to the front after a short training period.
The date of his death coincides with action on the 10th/11th September 1916 by his Battalion near the ‘Quadrilateral’ in the Somme sector immediately east of Ginchy. The Battalion had arrived in the vicinity of Leuze Wood before 11.00pm on the 9th September 1916 with casualties mounting due to shelling. They attacked at 00.15am on the 10th September in pitch darkness. They lost direction and were attacked by German units in their rear but they scattered them with the use of their bayonets. They tried to pick up their correct position but were unsuccessful in the thick mist and were nowhere near their objective. The enemy continued to hold the ‘Quadrilateral’.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Pier and Face 9C & 13C of the great Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France.
Additional Information
After his death £3 0s 8d pay owing was authorised to go to his sister, Miss Ivy Richmond, on 24 March 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £3 was authorised to be paid to her on 9 October 1919.
His pension cards record his sister, Miss Ivy Richmond, 42 Dacre Road, Hitchin, as his dependant. It is not clear but she may have been awarded a gratuity and a later note says “No Change”. Against the line for Medical Certificate, under relationship to soldier, it reads Three Quarters Impaired” but as Frederick was killed in action, it is assumed to refer to his sister
His effects were sent to his sister at 42 Dacre Road, Hitchin on 28 March 1917, they included a pocket case. Photo and photo on strap
*1 There is a man listed as either F J Richmond or Frederick John Richmond on the Hitchin memorials. The only obvious candidate is this man Private 6901 Frederick Richmond, however his service record gives his middle name as George. It could be that he has been mis-recorded on the memorials. Obviously this causes doubt, in the identity of F J Richmond, if the name was mis-recorded (twice - the names in the ROH book were mostly compiled from the memorials) then he is this man Frederick George Richmond - currently listed here as not on the memorials, otherwise we have yet to identify F J Richmond.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
