Herbert Hiscock Richardson was born in Thame in 1884, and was the eldest of three sons of Mary Ann Hiscock, and her employer John Richardson, living in East Street.

After leaving school, Herbert took up his father’s trade as a coach maker. In 1910 he married Nellie Bowler at Woburn, Buckinghamshire, and they went to live at Hampstead where he was employed as a wheelwright bodymaker.

When the Military Service Act of 1916 war extended to married men, Herbert was called up, and in April 1917 was enlisted at St Pancras, London into the Royal Garrison Artillery. He was posted to the 126th Heavy Battery serving with the 22nd Heavy Artillery Brigade in France. The heavy batteries were equipped with four 60 pounder, 5 inch guns or howitzers.

After a short spell in Ypres in the winter of 1917/18 the battery returned to the Somme area of France in February 1918. They incurred heavy casualties in the German spring offensive, and were pulled back to Englebelmer, north west of Albert . They continued to sustain casualties from German shelling, and on the 22nd May 1918 Gunner 156617 Herbert Richardson was killed. He was 34 years old. He is buried in Hedauville Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France.

Gunner Richardson is commemorated in Thame on the war memorial and on the All Saints church honours board. His name is also mentioned on the memorial stone to Thomas Bowler, his wife’s father, in St Michaels churchyard, Woburn Sands.