John HenryRichards

[Jackarmy1]

Hello again, I'm awaiting various paperwork to arrive from a previous query so at standstill for the moment. I thought I'd throw my maternal Great Grandfather out there. He was John Henry Richards from Swansea/ Neath, he was born in 1893 and died in 1951. His military service are a bit of a mystery. The only names I can find related are,
1. John Henry Richards  from the British Red Cross overseas volunteers passport number 124218.
2. J Henry Richards service number 673706 from the Labour Corps and
3. John H Richards who joined Swansea Pals, service number 29117.

Numbers 1 & 2 I can't find any sort of location as to their addresses or place of birth, however the British Red Cross connection would fit in with a bit of a family myth that he was a conscientious objector but did something connected to first aid or stretcher bearer, again I have no idea if its true.
Number 3, I cannot find what the H stands for, he was born in Neath Road Swansea, which is not far from where I know he lived so maybe the most likely.

Any help would be most appreciated

[MaxD]

29117's  medal card calls him James H Richards.
His mother at 509 Neath Road was Mrs M Richards.

Off the list??

MaxD

[Jackarmy1]

Yep, certainly looks like. Thanks , not sure where to go from here to be honest. 

[jim1]

If (& a big if) he was a stretcher bearer he would be RAMC. There's just 1 service record for a John H Richards in that Corps but he was from Brighton so not him. There are a few John Richards' (no middle initial) RAMC but no way of knowing if one is him.
The route to take is the Absent Voters List for where he was living (1918) but don't know where if it exists that would be.

[Jackarmy1]

Many thanks for the reply and advice Jim.

[Jackarmy1]

It's a bit of a needle in a haystack , my mother is adamant he always lived in Skewen which is a suburb of Neath and Swansea, yet his wedding to my Great Grandmother was in East Finchley , Barnet in 1923 - would be no fun if it was too easy 

[Jackarmy1]

Hi Just an update to people who helped a few years back, we discovered an actual medal within my Grandmothers things with the service number and regiment on it A. SJT.  72251, L'POOL R.

Thanks again

[Ashtone]

Two WW1 Medals records for a John H Richards with that service number on Ancestry.

He served with Liverpool Regiment and Labour Corps. Service numbers 72251 & 48007.

[jim1]

His Lab. Corps number was given (1917) to men from the old 16th. Inf. Lab. Coy. of the Liverpool Regt.
They became the 81st. Lab. Coy. Lab. Corps.