John Harold Richardson

First Name: 
John
Middle Name: 
Harold
Last Name: 
Richardson
Date of Birth: 
Thursday, May 10, 1883
Father's Name: 
George Frederick Richardson
Date Enlisted: 
Monday, August 17, 1914
Rank at Enlistment: 
Private
Unit: 
4th Battalion
Service: 
Infantry
Awards: 
1914/15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Date of Death: 
Sunday, January 24, 1954
Place of Death: 
Concord Hospital, Sydney
Details: 

 John Harold Richardson (service number 9) was born on 10 May 1883. Before the war he resided at Bondi with his family and worked in his father’s produce store.

When he enlisted, he joined the 4th Battalion AIF and embarked for overseas on 20 October 1914

During his service John frequently sent postcards and letters to his wife, three children (at the time) and mother. He sent a postcard to his wife on 25 May, 1917:

My Cis,
As you will see, from the fact that I am able to get a … of a card like this, I am well away from the firing line for awhile … knows how long this will last though. We blew into this little town of – two days for a spell. After that Lord knows what it will be; however I suppose your papers will soon be telling you again that the old fighting brigade is into it again somewhere … Anyhow cheer up, it looks like soon coming to the end. Goodbye with heaps of kisses – …
Your Jack.

Jack moved to Wollongong in 1927 with his wife Annie Cecilia Richardson (nee Hawkins) and worked as a janitor at Wollongong Technical College on Gladstone Ave. He and his wife had three more children after the war and he became a life member of Wollongong RSL. His RSL medals currently reside at Wollongong RSL Club.

He died on 24 January 1954 at the age of 71 at Concord Hospital, Sydney.

Sources: 
Australian War Memorial, First World War Embarkation Rolls – Archibald Lewis Parsons, Australian War Memorial Canberra, 2014, <http://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1446219/> viewed 27 November 2013.
NAA: B2455, Richardson John Harold

Images

Black and white full length portrait of John Richardson in uniform.
Postcard with embroidered flowers. Inscription reads: To My Dear Wife
Front of postcard with embroidered flowers. Inscription reads: To My Dear Mother
Picture of army buttons in display.
Picture of stripes and badges displayed.

Comments

Please correct the following on my grandfather (John Harold Richardson)'s entry :

Father's name is George Frederick
Date of enlistment: 17 August 1914
Date of embarkation: 20 October 1914

Hi Patricia,

Thank you for your comment, & your interest in Illawarra Remembers.

Can you confirm your grandfather's service number? 

Hi,

My grandfather's service number was 9. He was the 9th Anzac to enlist. Thanks for your work. Pat