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Cenotaph record

James Leonard Richards

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Portrait, Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

Portrait, Weekly News - This image may be subject to copyright

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    James Leonard AWMM
  • Surname
    Richards AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    • NZ404946 AWMM
    • WWII 404946 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    24 January 1918 RNZAF Biographies (R17845615) Rakaia, Canterbury RNZAF Biographies (R17845615)
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    • WW2 Parents: Mr. & Mrs. H. E. H. Richards of Methven AWMM
    • WW2 Mrs. J. E. Richards (M) Box 78, Methven, Canterbury AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Single/WWII AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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Embarkations

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  • Embarkation details
    • WW2 Vessel was Awatea AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
    • Son of Henry Edward Harrison and Jessie Elizabeth Richards (née Tait), of Methven, Canterbury, New Zealand. Public - Kelvin - Researcher - 18 January 2022 - http://www.aircrewremembered.com/rothschild-charles-arnold.html

Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    Killed on Active Service, Cause of Death AWMM

Biographical information

Biographical information

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    • Remembered on the Ashburton War Memorial.

      Attended Methven District High School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845615)) AWMM
    • Stirling Mk.III EH889 AA-Z of 75 Squadron took off at 23.48 on 22nd of June 1943 from RAF Newmarket. The mission to bomb the German city of Mulheim. 557 aircraft were involved in this operation. 35 were lost, 4 from 75 Squadron.

      EH889 piloted by F/Lt Thomas Fraser McCrorie DFC was shot down at 00.26 hrs by a night-fighter, flown by Oblt. Lothar Linke, of IV/NJG1 and crashed into the IJsselmeer. The crew were -

      Pilot F/Lt Thomas Fraser McCrorie DFC RAFVR

      Flight Engineer Sgt Eric Grainger RAFVR

      Navigator P/O William Stuckey M.I.D. RAFVR

      Bomb/Aimer Sgt James Leonard Richards R.N.Z.A.F.

      Wireless/operator W.O.2 Robert Earnest Tod. D.F.M. R.C.A.F.

      Air Gunner W.O.2 Richard Douglas Tod. R.C.A.F.

      Air Gunner Sgt Raymond Anthony Kennedy RAFVR

      Five bodies of the crew were recovered from the IJsselmeer during July. The 23 year old Tod twins are buried at Medemblik General Cemetery. F/Lt T. F. McCrorie is buried at Hemelumer-Oldeferd [Molkwerum] Protestant Churchyard. Sgt R. A. Kennedy lies in Wieringermeer [Middenmeer] General Cemetery. P/O W. Stuckey rests in Wonseradeel [Makkum] Protestant Churchyard. The bodies of the flight engineer Sgt Eric Grainger and New Zealand bomb-aimer Sgt James Richards were never found and they are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial which is situated near Windsor in the UK. Public - Jenifer - Researcher - 22 August 2017 - Website : 626 Squadron : Wartime Texel by Willem Jong.
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    23 June 1943 AWMM
    Age 25 AWMM
    AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed on Active Service AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    • Runnymede Memorial, Surrey, United Kingdom AWMM
    • Ashburton War Memorial, Ashburton, New Zealand AWMM

Roll of Honour

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  • James Leonard Richards has a very proud great great great nephew, who was born in Adelaide in 2014, named James in his honor.
    Public - Erin - Other relative - 24 January 2017
    Report 

Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. AWMM
    • This record is a work in progress and was partially compiled from the “Database of New Zealand Airmen who took part in Advanced Air Training in Canada during WW2”. Researched by Ivan and Lorna Lindsey of Tauranga. N.Z. 2003 – 2012. Reproduced with permission. AWMM
    • RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Qu - Sl. Archives New Zealand (R17845615) - Former archives reference: AIR118 AWMM
    • List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [Missing - But Presumed Dead on Lapse of Time - Officers, Airmen]. Archives New Zealand (R17845743) AWMM
    • Please note that the 12 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions. AWMM

Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
01 December 2022AntonioHastings DistrictResearcher
18 January 2022KelvinNorfolk, EnglandResearcher
21 August 2020Ian BanksTaumarunui New ZealandResearcher
22 August 2017JeniferWairarapaResearcher
24 January 2017ErinAdelaide AustraliaOther relative

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