Pte 29610 John Ewart Richardson

• Age: 26
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

John Ewart Richardson was born in Liverpool in the Dec Qtr of 1891 the son of Peter and Louisa Ann (nee Higginson) Richardson who married at Liverpool Register Office in 1882.

The 1901 Census shows the family are living at 71 Chelsea Road, Litherland. John E. is 9 years of age. His father Peter is head of the household, he is an insurance representative born in Tarporley in 1860, whilst his mother is shown as having been born in Nottingham in 1861. Siblings listed are; Mary E.E. born at Garston in 1884 and a Match Factory Hand, Ethel D. also born at Garston in 1889. Louisa aged 5 and Samuel aged 3 were born in Liverpool.  

John's father Peter died in 1907 aged 50, and he was buried on the 31st January 1907 at Toxteth Park Cemetery.

By the time of the 1911 Census the family living at 66 Cavendish Road Walton Liverpool. His mother Louisa Ann is a widow aged 52, born in Nottingham in 1859 and is a general shop-keeper. She stated that she had been married for 25 years before her husband passed away. They had six children, of which one had died. Those living at the home address in 1911 are; Mary Eliza Emery is aged 27 born 1884, no occupation listed, Ethel Denton is aged 22, born 1889 and is assisting in the business, John Ewart aged 19, born 1892 is a Rubber Cutter, Louisa Ann aged 15, born 1896 is a domestic servant and Samuel aged 13, born 1898 is at school.

John Ewart enlisted in Liverpool joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 29610. He was killed in action on 29th April 1918 during the German Spring Offensive, aged 26.

On the day of his death 29th April 1918, the Battalion was serving on the Ypres Salient and was in the front line at Elzenwalle, near Ridge Wood, awaiting a renewal of the German assault on that front.

At 02.30 am the attack began with a devastating bombardment along the whole battle front, from the forward positions back to a depth of over a mile. At 6am the enemy Infantry attacked, the main force of the assault being directed at a position near Ridge Wood, where one of the Battalion’s forward listening posts was captured and held. Then, 16999 Company Sergeant Major G Sutton of No.1 Company gallantly drove out the attackers with Mills Bombs, an action for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. After a strong defence along the Battalion frontage, the Germans withdrew. They continued their artillery barrage throughout the rest of the morning and afternoon, however, and at about 17.00 began to mass once more for another Infantry attack. This was contained by Rifle and Lewis Gun fire, until a large British Artillery barrage at 18.00 finally broke up all enemy activity.

John has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.  

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

His death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 24th May 1918:

RICHARDSON - April 29, killed in action in his 26th year, Private JACK RICHARDSON (Jack), K.L.R., the dearly-beloved eldest son of Louisa Ann and the late Peter Richardson (the second son to make the supreme sacrifice). 

Thy purpose, Lord, We cannot see,

But all is well that's done by Thee.

- Deeply mourned by his Mother and Sisters at 66 Cavendish Road, Walton; Also Brother-in-law George (in France).

He was also remembered in the Liverpool Evening Express on 29th April 1919: 

RICHARDSON - In ever loving memory of my dear son's, Private John Richardson, K.L.R., late “Pals,” killed in action 29 April, 1918, aged 26 years, also Samuel, brother of the above, killed in action, 22 October, 1916. (Sadly missed by mother and sisters, 66 Cavendish Road, Walton. Duty nobly done.) 

Soldiers Effects to mother Louisa A., Pensions of both John and Samuel to mother Louisa A.

John's was not the only loss suffered by the Richardson family as his younger brother Samuel, also a Liverpool Pal, was killed in action on 22nd October 1916 serving as Private 22820 with the 20th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment. He, like John, has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, France. 

His Service Records exist and show that he attested on the 09th November 1914, aged 19 years and 5 months, and gave his employment as a dental mechanic.

Soldiers Effects to mother Louisa A., Pensions of both John and Samuel to mother Louisa A. 

Both brothers were remembered by the family in the Liverpool Evening Express on 22nd October 1919: 

We currently have no further information on John Ewart Richardson, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.