Richard Seward Withers

Story:
Richard Seward Withers was born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on 30 Sep 1891 and baptised at St. Edmund's Church, Salisbury, on 8 Nov 1891 the son of Walter Seward Withers and Jane Hudson Withers (nee Bain).  He lived his early life in Salisbury but by 1901 had become a pupil at Queen Mary's School, Basingstoke, Hampshire, and later also attended at Shaftesbury Grammar School, Shaftesbury, Dorset, which he left in 1906.  By 1911 he was boarding at 165 Kennington Park Road, Newington, London, S.E. working as a Drapery Warehouseman.  He enlisted and joined the Hampshire Yeomanry as a Private (Service Nos. 1019 and 100223).  It is not known in which theatre of war he served but on his discharge was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  It is known he applied for some benefit due to shrapnel wounds to his left leg following his service but this had been rejected by 1924 but it did indicate he might have served in France and Flanders.  Further information is being sought. In 1921 he was registered as a Merchant Seaman (No. R71166) and he worked as a Steward. At the time he gave his address as 'Harkaway', Upper Clatford, Hampshire. Nothing is is known beyond this time except for a possible death record in Scotland during 1947.  Of his brothers, Robert Charles Withers, also served in the conflict and survived but Walter Seward Withers, who had no apparent association with Shaftesbury, was killed in action.