Richard Edgar Riley

Richard Edgar Riley

Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire p.246
Anzac Day 1947 in Kalgoorlie
Personal Information
Date of Birth	13 Sep 1895
Place of Birth	Broken Hill, New South Wales
Death	22 Jan 1962, aged 66
Place of Death	Victoria Park, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	19 years, 11 months
Description	5'7½" (1.71m) tall ; 139 lbs 63.049 kg ; fresh complexion ; grey eyes ; dark brown hair
Occupation	Sleeper cutter
Religion	Church of England
Address	Post Office, Kelmscott, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father , Mr Richard Askew Riley
Military Information
Reg Number	3244
Date of Enlistment	7 Sep 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, 7th Reinforcement transferred to 1st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion
Date of Embarkation	18 Jan 1916 ‒ 16 Feb 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A7 Medic
Date of Return	1 Jun 1919 ‒ 8 Jul 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Somali
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Kelmscott War Memorial
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Entered Blackboy Hill camp on 28 Sep 1915 and on 1 Nov 1915 Richard was allocated to the 7th reinforcement draft for the 28th Battalion. At the completion of his Australian training he travelled with them to Egypt.

However, soon after his arrival in Egypt (12 Mar 1916) he was transferred to the Cyclist Corps, 2nd Division in the Canal Zone. Five days later on 19 Mar 1916 he boarded a ship in Alexandria for Marseilles, arriving there on 30 Mar 1916.

On 12 May 1916 Richard is taken on strength by the 1st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion on its formation in France. On 27 March 1917 he had a dose of ptomaine poisoning and was treated first by 5th Field Ambulance and then by the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station from 27 - 29 Mar 1917 before rejoining his unit on the 30th.

Spent a month from 23 Mar to 21 Apr 1918 as a member of the Corps Commander's Guard, and enjoyed leave in the UK from 10 - 26 Sep 1918.

On 18 Feb 1919 Richard presented to the 14th Field Ambulance with an infection. Seen next by the 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station on 19 & 20 Feb 1919, he was then passed to the 55th Casualty Clearing Station in Charleroi from 20 - 22 Feb 1919 before being placed on Ambulance Train No. 31 for the 7th Stationary Hospital (24 Feb to 2 Mar 1919). Evacuated to England aboard HMHS St Andrew for admission to King George's Hospital in Stamford on 2 Mar 1919, he was quickly passed on to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital from 5 Mar 1919 until 24 Apr 1919, suffering with a severe case of Influenza.

Richard was granted furlough on his recovery and then reported to 2nd Training Battalion in Codford on 8 May 1919.

Discharged 5th Military District 30 Aug 1919.

Post War

1920 married Evelyn Amy Radford in the Beverly district. Daughter Grace Evelyn Riley b.1921; daughter Phyllis Mae Riley b. 19 Oct 1924 Pingelly, d. 1978; daughter Beryl Radford Riley b.1932.

Electoral Roll entries - 1921 - 30 they have joined his father Richard Askew Riley on a farm at Taylor's Well near Pingelly; but in 1931 Richard (Jnr) is shown as a labourer at 23 Richardson street, Boulder; in 1936 a miner at 135 Richardson street, Boulder; 1937 he was joined by Evelyn Amy; 1958 both still at 135 Richardson street; 1963 - 1977 Evelyn living at 22 Manchester street, Victoria Park before she died in Bentley 23 Apr 1985 aged 85.

Notes

[Source on 1st ANZAC Cyclist Battalion is 'ANZACS at War on Bicycles', Jim Fitzpatrick, Royal Historical Society of Victoria of Victoria Journal, Vol. 54, No 3., September 1983, pages 31-38]

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial