William Meiron Richards
Attended Oxclose and Yorke Street school until he was 14. After school he was employedas an apprenticed painter for Mansfield Woodhouse Urban Council.
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Son of Evan and Lily Richards of 24 Shakespeare Avenue, Mansfield Woodhouse.
Their first 4 children where born in Wales and the last 4 in Mansfield Woodhouse.
Enlisted 29th November 1938.
HMS Royal Oak:On the night of 14th October 1939 U-47 got into Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands the fleets anchorage. At 00:58 it launched several torpedoes but only one hit. Causing no major damage, most of the crew slept through it. At 01:16 U-47 launcehed 3 more torpedoes all of them hit. These caused major damage and flooding causing the ship to list. There was then an explosion and the ship quickly sank. 835 men died as a result of the sinking.
The Royal Oak was an old ship, having taking part in the Battle of Jutland in 1916 but was now outdated and slow.
Two other men from Mansfield died on the Royal Oak, Ronald Milns, a boy sailor, and George Mather . Another man from Mansfield, William Alfred Lawrence, the son of Mr & Mrs Lawrence of Quarry Lane, Mansfield survived the sinking of the Royal Oak.
Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser: 27/9/1939:
Friend of George Mather also killed on the Royal Oak.
19 years old in June 1939. Born in Ferndale, Glamorgan- came to Mansfield Woodhouse when aged 7. Attended Oxclose and Yorke Street Schools until he was 14. Started work as an apprenticed painter for Mansfield Woodhouse Urban Council. Enlisted 29th November 1938 and was hoping to pass his examinations to become a 1st class stoker. His father had served as a soldier in World War 1.
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