Richard Roberts was born at Ardleen, Montgomeryshire in 1887 and was brought up living on Albert Road and then at 7 Castle Square, Albert Road. He was the eldest of 4 children, 3 brothers and a sister, born to Robert and Hannah Roberts. He began work as an Assistant Boiler Maker at the Railway Sheds where his father and brother also worked as a Boiler Tuber and a blacksmith striker. He then moved to work at Cammell Laird, shipbuilders on the River Mersey, and lived on Leighton Road in Tranmere. Richard enlisted in the RWF at Birkenhead Recruitment Office on 15 March 1916 and reported two days later at Deganwy for training and then in June 1915 joined 3 Reserve Bn RWF. He was posted to 8 Bn RWF in October joining the unit at Gallipoli. In December 1915 he contracted jaundice and was invalided home, arriving back in late January 1916. He spent the next 3 months in hospital at Warrington before rejoining the reserve battalion which was then stationed at Litherland – where he spent 3 days confined to barracks for being ‘dirty on parade’. He went over to France along with 86 others drafted to 10 Bn RWF; they met up with the battalion on 26 September 1916 at Liettres, a training ground in the rear area.

Richard Roberts was KIA on 13 November 1916 at Serre during the Somme Offensive. He was at first reported missing and later as killed. He is buried in Queens Cemetery, a battlefield cemetery situated in what was the middle of No Man’s Land. The cemetery contains the remains of those bodies found when the battlefield was cleared in Spring 1917. Richard is also recorded on the Cammell Laird Roll of Honour and at St Oswald’s Church, Oswestry.

Killed same day and action. Private 16317 William Peate, 7 Bn King’s Shropshire Light. KIA 13 November 1916, Thieval Memorial (unknown)

Acknowledgements.

References and Sources

END