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Description

Richard was born on 13 November 1898 in Llanfair-yn-Neubwll, Anglesey. He was one of ten children born to William and Margaret Lewis. Around 1912, the family moved to live in Pen Bont Dronwy, Llanfachreth, Anglesey, where Richard attended the local school. After leaving school he worked on farms around the area. On 2 January 1917, he joined the 4th Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers and after training and serving at home, he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps where he received further training. In February 1918 he crossed over to France and joined the B Company 1st Battalion Machine Gun Corps, 1st Division. In February, he fought in Battle of the Lys, Flanders. In April he fought in Estaires and Hazebrouck, and the Defence of Bethune. In September he fought in the Battle of Drocourt – Queant Switch Line and also in the Battles of the Hindenburg Line, in Epehy, St Quentin Canal and Beaurevoir Line. In October his Division participated in the Battle of the Selle and his last contribution was to cross the Sambre Canal on 4 November 1918. After serving with the Army, Richard came home to Pen Bont Dronwy on 16 February 1919 and went back to work on farms. In 1920 he married Margaret Ann Jones from Llanddeusant, Anglesey and they had two sons, Thomas Hugh and John Arthur. By 1923, Richard and his wife decided to emigrate to Western Australia by sailing on the Diogenes. In Australia they had three other children, William Leonard, Hywel and Gwyneth. Sadly, Hywel died when he was only an infant. When the Second World War broke out, Richard and his two sons Thomas Hugh and John Arthur joined the Australian Army. Thomas Hugh was made a Prisoner of War by the Japanese for three years. Richard died in 1974 at 76 years of age, without returning to Wales after his emigration.

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