Private Reginald George Riches, (Shipdham) 1/5th Norfolks Killed in Action 1917

The edition of the Norwich Mercury dated Saturday October 20 1917 included this picture along with the caption Pte. Reginald G. Riches, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Riches, Shipdham, killed. Three other brothers are serving.

Private RICHES, R G
Service Number:………. 240608
Died:……………………. 13/07/1917
Aged:……………………. 21
Unit:……………………..1st/5th Bn. Norfolk Regiment
Son of Michael and Mary Ann Riches, of Market St., Shipham, Norfolk.
Buried………………..Gaza War Cemetery, Grave XXIV.B.2
CWGC: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/651166/riches,-/

Soldiers Died in the Great War records that Private Reginald George Riches was Killed in Action on the 13th July 1917 whilst serving in the Egyptian Theatre of War with the 1/5th Battalion (T.F.), Norfolk Regiment. He enlisted East Dereham. No place of birth or residence is shown.

The Medal Index Card for Private 240608 Reginald G Riches, Norfolk Regiment, is held at the National Archive under reference WO 372/16/225908
He had originally been service number 2965 in the same Regiment.
discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D4856136
He qualified for the 1915 Star, having first entered the Balkans Theatre of War on the 6th August 1915. This was most probably when his battalion landed at Alexandria in Egypt bound first for Mudros and then Gallipoli. His Card is noted that he was “KinA”.
At that point his service number was 2965. All the Territorial Force Battalions adopted a standard six digit numbering format from the start of 1917, which is when he would have been renumbered 240608.
He would also qualify for the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. There is no additional information on the card.

His Service Records do not appear to have survived the incendiary attack during the Blitz on the Warehouse where all the Army Service Records were stored.

No match on Picture Norfolk, the County image Archive.

The Government Probate Service holds a Soldiers Will for 240608 Reginald George Riches who died on the 13th July 1917.
Source: probatesearch.service.gov.uk/Wills?Surname=Riches&Sur...

He is remembered on the Shipdham War Memorial.
www.breckland-rollofhonour.org.uk/shipdham.html

1895 - Birth & baptism………………….

The birth of a Reginald George Riches was registered with the Civil Authorities in the Mitford District of Norfolk in the July to September quarter, (Q3), of 1895. Mitford Civil Registration District included the Civil Parish of Whissonsett, along with, amongst others, Beeston with Bittering and Shipdham. The small hamlet of Godwick seems to be split between the Civil Parishes of Tittleshall and Whissonsett.

The baptism of a Reginald George Riches, born 11th August 1895, took place at St Mary, Whissonsett, on the 8th September 1895. Parents were Michael, a Farm Steward, and Mary Anne. The family lived in the parish.
Source: www.freereg.org.uk/search_records/5818a77ae93790eca38fef5...

1901 Census of England and Wales

The 5 year old Reginald Riches, born Whissonsett, Norfolk, was recorded living at the Farm House, Beeston with Bittering, Norfolk. This was the household of his parents, Michael, (aged 47, a Farm Bailiff, born Tittleshall, Norfolk), and Mary Ann, (aged 47, born Godwick, Norfolk). As well as Reginald their married daughter Ethel Anna Wybrow(? Or Rybrow\Hybrow etc), (aged 20, born Whissonsett) and her husband Charles, (23, a Carriage Builder, born Sculthorpe, Norfolk), are living with them plus Richard and Mary Anns’ other unmarried children:-
Herbert John…….aged 11….born Whissonsett
Horace Walter…..aged 9……born Whissonsett
Olive Maud……..aged 7……born Godwick

1911 Census of England and Wales

The Riches family were now recorded living at Letton Road, Shipdham, Norfolk. Parents Michael, (56, Farm Labourer) and Mary Ann, (56), have been married 35 years and have had 12 children, 10 of which were then still alive. Still single and living with them are Herbert John, (21, Farm Labourer) and Reginald George, (15, Farm Labourer).

The 1914 edition of the Register of Norfolk Electors records that a Michael Riches was entitled to vote in Parliamentary, County Council and Civil Parish elections as he was a (male) householder of a dwelling house at Market Street, Shipdham. There was a waiting period before a parliamentary vote could be used, but this would be waived if the voter could show the registration officer that there was entitlement to vote at a previous address and that entitlement to vote was continuous – i.e. you went straight from being a householder at one address to being the householder at another. These moves were then recorded against the entry for the new address for the first year this applied. In this case Michael must have informed the Registration Officer that when the edition for use for elections in 1914 was being put together in the autumn of 1913 that he was now the householder of a dwelling house on Market Street, having been the householder at a dwelling on Letton Green Road on the previous edition. Entitlement to vote was regarded as continuous as the entry, showing both addresses, is shown with the term “successive” beside it.
Source: www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:2CM5-9TK

On the day…………………………13/07/1917

From “The History of the Norfolk Regiment 1685 – 1918”, Volume 2, by F. Loraine Petre.

Page 149 June and July were uneventful from the point of view of fighting, such few casualties as occurred being the result of shelling by the Turks.
lib.militaryarchive.co.uk/library/infantry-histories/libr...

(Having survived the fighting at Gallipoli and almost certainly the carnage of 2nd Gaza in April 1917, this seems rather an ignominious end for this young man.)

Mildly photoshopped to minimise impact of damage present on the original image.

Taken in: United Kingdom / England / Shipdham (show map)

Taken on: January 13, 2017

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Norwich Mercury Saturday October 20 1917

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Reginald Riches

Reginald George Riches

1st/5th Battalion Norfolk Regiment

13/07/1917

13th July 1917 « less

Sets appears in: • In memoria • Dulce et Decorum Est..Pro Patria Mori more » • Read all about it • Faces of Gallipoli - 1915 • Faces of 2nd Gaza 1917 • Shipdham « less

Groups appears in: • The Great War 1914 - 1918 • The Norfolk Dead more » • Your Faces of the First World War • REMEMBER THEM « less

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