Having already found an Elizabethan sixpence, Olly Lynes has also discovered a pocket watch belonging to Lt. Leslie Richmond. He must have lost it before he went to the front in WW1. This article was written by John Lynes.
Discovering the watch
It was with some surprise that local lad Olly Lynes came across a rather interesting artefact whilst searching Punch Bowl Farm, owned by Sally Scheffers. Olly had been searching the farm for the past few years with many interesting items being discovered. On this occasion, as Olly removed the find from the soil he realised it was a silver military pocket watch.
On getting home, and after a little research, it transpired that the watch had in fact belonged to a special Australian soldier, who was identifiable for rather sad reasons. The pocket watch belonged to Leslie Richmond of the 1st Gordon Highlanders. Thanks to an Australian article written about Leslie Richmond, Olly was able to learn a great deal about the history of the person behind the watch. Lt. Leslie Richmond, an officer in the 1st Gordon Highlanders, was the first Australian-born casualty of World War I.
Born in Armadale, Victoria, in June 1888, Richmond was killed at the Battle of Mons on August 23, 1914. This battle marked the first major engagement of the British Expeditionary Force in the war. Despite his service in a British regiment, new research has revealed that Richmond's Australian roots merit his inclusion on the Australian War Memorial's (AWM) Commemorative Roll.
From Australia to Scotland
Richmond's family history is a tale of migration and success. His father, James Richmond, left Scotland for Australia in 1863, becoming a prosperous pastoralist. The Richmond family later returned to Scotland, renting the 17th-century Monzie Castle in Crieff, Perthshire. Census records from the time show the family lived a life of relative affluence, employing several household staff.
The Battle of Mons and Richmond's Service
The Battle of Mons, where Lt. Richmond lost his life, was a critical early conflict in WWI. On August 23, 1914, British forces faced a superior German army and were forced to withdraw, suffering approximately 1,600 casualties. The battle is also notable for the legend of the Angel of Mons, which purportedly appeared in the sky to protect retreating British troops.
Lt. Richmond's military career began with his commission in the Gordon Highlanders in 1906. By 1909, he had risen to the rank of lieutenant. He married Ruth Greenwood in April 1914, and she was pregnant with their only child when he died. Their son, also named Leslie, was born in January 1915.
Recognition and Family Legacy
For many years, Seaman William "Billy" Williams and Captain Brian Pockley were believed to be the first Australians to fall in World War I, having died on September 11, 1914, in the Battle of Bita Paka in Papua New Guinea. However, recent findings by Toni Munday, curator of the HMAS Cerberus museum, and Diane Morris, the AWM's centenary communications officer, have brought Lt. Richmond's sacrifice to light. Munday discovered a notice about Richmond in The Argus newspaper from October 1914, prompting further investigation.
Richmond's descendants, Jeannie Furphy of Shepparton, Victoria, and Alexandra Ramsay of Warren, NSW, were aware of his military history but had not considered him a candidate for recognition in Australia due to his service with a British regiment. The AWM's criteria allow for Australians who served in foreign armies to be included on the Commemorative Roll, provided they meet specific criteria.
A Family's War Tragedy
The Richmond family's history is marked by the tragic loss of both Lt. Richmond and his son. The younger Leslie was killed at Dunkirk in May 1940, shortly after his marriage, while serving with the 10th Royal Hussars. Ruth Richmond, Leslie's widow, never remarried, enduring the profound loss of both her husband and son.
Lt. Richmond is buried at St. Symphorien Military Cemetery in Belgium.
From ABC News Australia:
WWI Scottish regiment soldier 'may have been first Australian-born casualty'
A portrait of Lieutenant Leslie Richmond of the Gordon Highlanders who died at the Battle of Mons.
(Supplied: Richmond family)
Lt Leslie Richmond