John Richards was from Bryn y Baal, and was the son of Charles and Hannah Richards, born Malpas. The family was in Wrenbury, Cheshire in 1901: Charles Richards 40 agricultural labourer b Worthenbury, Hannah 40 b Marchweil, Mary 9, John 8 b Malpas, Leigh 6 b Malpas, Charles 4 b Malpas, George 6 months b Wrenbury. In 1911 they were at Moor Cottage, Hawarden: Charles Richards 51 farmer, Hannah 52, John 18 wood ranger b Malpas, Leigh 15 b Malpas, Charles 14 b Malpas, George 19 b Wrenbury.

John Richards enlisted in Buckley and died of his wounds in France on the 6th September 1918

A nephew of John Richards has a letter written by John in August 1918 to his brother Leigh who was also serving. The letter was written a few weeks before John died and in it he looks forward to being home on leave in a month to six weeks. Another letter from the Royal Dockyard, Woolwich dated March 1920 informed John’s family that his original grave was in a place unsuitable for permanent retention, and his body had been exhumed and removed to Delville Wood Cemetery.