RICHARDS, Simeon

Simeon Richards was the son Simeon and Elizabeth Richards of 19 Inhedge, Dudley. He enlisted in the Worcester Territorials and went to the 1/7th Battalion in the 48th (South Midland) Division. The battalion went to the Western Front in April 1915 and fought tenaciously in the 1916 Battle of the Somme at Ovillers and on the Ancre. In early 1917 it followed up the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and captured the Mound at Templeux-Guerard in a remarkable exploit. By August it had moved to Flanders for the Third Battle of Ypres. The Worcesters fought on the Steenbeeke and one company was ordered to capture the Maison du Hibou, one of the fortified farms near Langemarck but failed in front of strong defences. The battalion tried again on the 24th but enemy machine guns and the mud of Flanders broke up the attack. A third attack on the 27th was made without artillery, hoping to achieve surprise. The attack failed again and among those killed in action was Private Simeon Richards who was 21 years of age and is buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery (X A 7) and commemorated on the Dudley and Bishop Claughton school Memorials.