b. 20/01/1905 Wendron, Cornwall. d. 14/04/1956 Kerrier, Cornwall.
DATE OF AM ACTION: 25/09/1928 St Helena.
Albert was one of six children of Thomas Henry and Bertha Louisa Richards (nee Hill). He was born in Wendron, Cornwall, though the famiily moved to Illogan by 1911. Albert enlisted in the Royal Marines, and in 1930 he married Hilda May Bell in Plymouth, Devon. There were no children in the marriage and they spent some of their married lives in Kent. They returned to Cornwall in later life and he died on 14th April 1956.
AM CITATION:
On the 25th September, 1928, blasting operations were in progress for the removal of rock on a site at St. Helena under the charge of No. Ply/14790 Sergeant Stewart Symons. Four charges had been laid, two in drilled holes and two in crevices in the rock. The drilled hole fuzes were each to be lit by a Marine and the crevice fuzes by Sergeant Symons. The hole fuzes and the upper crevice fuze were lit simultaneously, and the Sergeant was bending down to light the lower crevice fuze when the charge in the upper crevice exploded unexpectedly, blinding Sergeant Symons and knocking him helpless close to one of the drilled holes. The Marines who had lit the other fuzes had by this time run clear, but Marine Richards, seeing that the Sergeant was disabled, turned back and helped him to his feet and dragged him clear of the subsequent explosions from the effects of which he shielded him with his own body. Marine Richards was well aware that at least two further charges were due to explode within some thirty seconds, and his presence of mind and disregard of personal danger undoubtedly saved Sergeant Symons from death.
BURIAL LOCATION: ST MARTIN IN MENEAGE CHURCH, ST MARTIN, CORNWALL.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
