Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Henry Oates Richardson was born in Dewsbury, Yorkshire in 1893 to parents William Brooke, manager of a dyeware and chemical makers merchants, and Hannah (nee Oates).  In 1901, Henry (7) was living at 70 Thornhill Road, Dewsbury with his parents and siblings Dan William (17) apprentice general mechancial engineer, Alfred (12), Percy (10) , Edith M (5) and baby Herbert W.   By 1911, the family had moved to 5 Calder Grove Terrace, Dewsbury and Henry (17), was listed as a finisher woollen cloths and textile student.

Henry attested on 2 December 1915, and was mobilised on 8 April 1916 as a Gunner with the 2^nd Battalion Heavy Section Machine Gun Corps.  He joined B Company on 27 May 1916, and was promoted to acting Lance Corporal on 11 August 1916.  Henry passed through Peterborough East Station on 6 September 1916, while stationed at Elvedon, Camp at Thetford in Norfolk.  Less than two weeks later, on 18 September, he left to join the British Expeditionary Force in France.  He transferred to D Company at the end of September and was promoted to Corporal in mid-November 1916.  On 20 November 1917, he was wounded in action and admitted to 2 General Hospital in Rouen, but was back with his Battalion by 7 January 1918.  It was at this time that he was classified 1^st class tank mechanic.  He was promoted to Sergeant on 14 August 1918.  He was wounded in action on 27 September and admitted to hospitals at Rouen and Frouville.  He re-joined the 4^th Battalion Tank Corps on 1 November.

Henry’s father was taken ill and he was allowed a week’s home leave from 11 – 25 November 1918, but his father sadly died and Henry was granted an extension to his leave to organise the funeral and attend to his affairs.  He returned to his battalion on 8 December,  and then back to the UK on 14 January 1919, and was demobilised on 12 February 1919.  Henry was awarded the British War and Allied Victory Medals.

Henry married Agnes Crossley in Dewsbury in 1919, and they had two children, Donald C (1922) and Joan L (1925).  Henry’s occupation was a chemist.  Henry died in Bolton, Lancashire in the 1936, aged 42 years.

In 1939, Agnes was living at 9 Frederick Street, Long Eaton, Derbyshire with her father, Joseph B Crossley and her son Donald, whose job was assembling telephone dials.  Agnes was working as a typist.

Please get in touch if you can tell us more about Henry.