REGINALD CYRIL RICHES
Images courtesy of Raymond Riches (son)
From May through to September 2026, Andrew will be fulfilling his dream to hike the iconic Land’s End to John O’Groats! You are all warmly invited to follow Andrew’s epic journey on his Facebook page, “Andrew Beal LEJOG” https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61577588795730
As Andrew hikes the 1,300+ miles, he will raise funds for the Ipswich War Memorial Project to help finance our future exhibitions and research of the brave Ipswich men and women who lost their lives in conflict. If you would like to make a small donation, please click on the link: https://gofund.me/5d4a50570
Thank you for your love and support. Andrew & Helen – I.W.M.P.
Born: 24th June 1908, Haverhill, Suffolk.
Died: 23rd September 1945; age: 37. Died in a road accident – as a passenger in a lorry that skidded on a bend and crashed into a large tree.
Residence: 43, Kensington Road, Ipswich.
Occupation: an Assistant Pork Butcher – Foster’s Pork Butchers, Norwich Road, Ipswich.
Rank: Private/Driver; Service Number: T/5834233.
Regiment: Royal Army Service Corps.
The body was originally buried at Rendsburg Cemetery. On the 6th June 1947, the body was exhumed, identified and reburied at Kiel War Cemetery.
Grave Reference:
6.E.6.
Schleswig-Holstein,
Germany.
A family note – Raymond Riches:
“In 1945 dad was buried in the local Rendsburgh cemetery. (left photo)
Kiel was/is a very large sea port, and thus had a large naval cemetery, in 1947 the British War Graves Commission took over a large vacant part of that, and re-interned various scattered British graves into one main plot, including dad (2nd right photo)”
Relatives Notified & Address: Son of William Alefounder Langley Riches & Minnie Riches; husband of Violet Florence Riches.
CENSUS
1911 72, Withersfield Road, Haverhill, Suffolk.
Reginald was 2 years old and living with his parents & siblings.
William Alefounder Langley Riches, 30, a Butcher – Foster’s Pork Butchers – Norwich Road, Ipswich, born Pulham St. Mary, Norfolk.
Minnie Riches (nee Basham), 28, born Haverhill, Suffolk.
William Frank Riches, 4, born Haverhill – died 1914, Suffolk.
Kathleen May Riches, 9 months, born Haverhill.
1921 24, Bramford Lane, Ipswich.
Reginald was 12 years & 11 months old. He attended School and lived with his parents and sisters.
William Riches, 40 years & 10 months old, a Butcher’s Slaughterman – for Mr. Owen Henry Pallant – Butcher, of 21, Norwich Road, Ipswich.
Minnie Riches, 38 years & 3 months old, Home Duties.
Kathleen Riches, 10 years & 11 months old, at School.
Ruby Helen Riches, 7 years & 11 months old, at School, born Haverhill.
Reginald’s father, William Alefounder Langley Riches, died in 1944, at 2, Gatacre Road, Ipswich.
On the 3rd December 1930, at St. Matthew’s Church, Ipswich, Reginald married Violet Florence Calvesbert, born 1909, Ipswich – died September 1948, Ipswich.
Violet and Reginald had two sons:
Cyril William Riches, born January 1932, Ipswich.
Raymond T. Riches, born 1936, Ipswich.
ENGLAND & WALES REGISTER 1939.
Reginald was a Pork Butcher’s Assistant. He and Violet lived with their two sons at the family home, 43, Kensington Road, Ipswich.
Probate to Violet Florence Riches – widow.
In 1948, a road accident killed Reginald’s wife, Florence, when a car mounted the pavement, hitting Florence and her friend. Cyril and Raymond went to live with their Granma whilst the details and paperwork were sorted. The boys then went to live with Florence’s sister, Ellen Elizabeth Rowe and her family at 44, Boyton Road. Ipswich.
A family note – Raymond Riches – 2017:
“I was only 3 years old when the war started and dad signed up in the Suffolk Regiment. I am 80 now, but my memory is good; relations wonder how it is that I remember so much for my age. So here goes, 9 years of memories of my dad.
First, he worked for Fosters Pork Butchers, on Norwich Rd as did his dad, my granddad. He was a general helper and assistant in the shop and also drove the delivery van.
Just before joining up, he borrowed the van one W/End and took us all to Clacton for the day, we sat on cushions on the floor, whilst grans sat in deckchairs.
After training at Bury St. Eds barracks he was posted to guard Ipswich Airport, as my aunt lived just round the corner in Boyton Rd, we one day saw him on guard duty at the gate. Later he was sent to a large house in Anglesea Rd with just 3 others, to guard the Hospital. My older brother had very bad asthma and regularly had to attend hospital. So we often saw him there, as I said there were only 4 of them who had to cook etc and look after themselves.
One week when the food lorry brought their weekly delivery there was half a pig. Don`t jump the gun with wild ideas, but the others talked him into bringing home a large lump to make some Brawn (Pork Cheese) which he did, and we were not short of meat for a week or two.
He then disappeared south and a month or two after D-Day he was over there delivering all sorts of goods when needed. Now in the R.A.O.C.
In August 1945 just after war ended, mum took us on holiday to country relatives near Norwich.
One night about 3 am we were woken with him banging on the door. He was home on demob leave and as his travel warrant was only for Ipswich, he had hiked all 40 + miles to see us.
That was the last time that I saw him, as after he went back to Germany, he died. He was a passenger that day and the lorry skidded on a bend and into a large tree, and that was that.
The padre sent mum a nice letter with the funeral photos,(there were others I do not have) and we never received all his personnel items, only his pocket watch which I still have, complete with shrapnel dents, received when the conveys were shot up and they all dived in the ditches for cover.
Mum was killed in a road accident, (car mounted pavement and hit mum and a friend) in 1948, so Granma looked after us 2 for a month whilst things/details were sorted, and my brother and I went to live with mums sister in Boyton Rd. Ipswich.”
Raymond Riches (son)
Reginald on a barge, taken after the war had ended on the German coast at Nordsebad Busum
One Comment
Hi Raymond. I am your second cousin once removed. Your mother was a Calvesbert which is on my maternal side of the family. I would be very interested to hear from you or obtain a transcript of your entry here, of your late father, and if possible including the photos so I can add them to my family tree. Regards Keith Roper.