| Notes: | MFP. Awarded the Victory and War Medals. First served abroad (4 a) East Africa, 24/12/1915 to 1/9/1917 andf (1) France, 5/12/1917. Shown as 1915 Star returned not entitled.
Info from pension index card: Leonard Richards, No. P/2084, L/Cpl, MFP, 3/9/1919 discharged, born 1894, single, address: Police Station, Canworthy Water, Nr Launceston, 9/2/1921 awarded pension for malaria.
Leonard Richards.
Extract from the Cornish Guardian 16 March 1917.
From Far Away East Africa.
Writing to Miss F Carhart, of Olive Cottage, to express his thanks for a book sent by her through the local Women's Liberal Association, Lance Corporal Leonard Richards, of the Military Foot Police, serving in East Africa, mentioned that he had been in that country thirteen months, but will be only too pleased when they will return to England again. He says that sickness abounds in German East Africa, malaria fever being the worst form. " I have had a fair amount of it since last July." adds the writer, "but we have all these hardships to put up with and a lot besides; anyhow it is all for a very good cause." "I think up to the present. " he continues, "I can claim to be the only Bodmin boy out here, although there are a lot of Cornish boys whom I meet quite frequently. The heat at times is almost unbearable, and to march would try anyone,m although I have stuck it fine up to the present." It is remembered that Lance Corporal Richards was prior to enlisting a member of the Cornwall Constabulary. |
