| Description | Work completed by volunteer includes the following information:
Richard Henry Smallwood was born in Halifax the 31 May 1890, the son of Lewis Edward and Mary Alice Smallwood. The family moved from Halifax to Beverley and in 1901 Lewis is a boot shopkeeper in Toll Gavel. By 1911 Richard was a boot salesman at the same address.
Richard's Medal Rolls show he served in the Yorkshire Regiment, he embarked for France in Oct 1915. He was transferred to the East Yorkshire Regiment (Cyclists), attached to the West Yorkshire Regiment, as shown in his photograph published in the Beverley Guardian the 25 Nov 1916, where it was reported that he had been wounded. The East Yorkshire Regiment (Cyclists) Corps did not serve overseas; they were deployed in the defence of the East Yorkshire coastline, and, although he had been wounded, Richard continued to serve to the end of the war he was not demobilised until 22 Mar 1919. He was awarded the British War medals, the Victory medal and the 15 Star.
Richards brother Clifford Ernest served with the East Yorkshire Regiment, 13th Battalion and later in the Machine Gun Corps.
Richard married Dora Wright in 1912 and they had a son, Oscar Richard, born in Beverley.
Includes photograph, information taken from census, military records, Commonwealth War Graves, newspapers |