Description
India General Service 1936, bar NWF 1937-9, 1939-45 Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal with MID Oakleaf, 819585 Sergt P.N. Richardson, Royal Artillery, MID for NW Europe.
IGS officially impressed: “819585 Gnr P.N. Richardson. R.A.”
Group swing mounted for wear, also included is his loose commemorative “Operation Overlord Medal” for D-Day.
With 2 original photographs, 1 of him back in the War part of a group photograph in uniform, and another in later life receiving the Operation Overlord Medal, which was awarded on the 50th Anniversary in 1994 when the veterans were invited to Normandy.
IGS confirmed on the medal roll for service with 23/24th Medium Battery.
Mention in Despatches announced in the London Gazette dated 4th April 1946 amongst a batch of awards for being “Mentioned in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in North-West Europe”, these awards were for the Normandy D-Day Landings until the end of the war.
By the time of the award of the MID he was a Sergeant.
All WW2 medals also confirmed on medal card.
Phillip Norman Richardson was born on 3rd February 1917 in Daventry, Cambridgeshire.
He died during May 1995 in Oxford, Oxfordshire, barely a year after attending the 50th Anniversary of D-Day.
He has a detailed Royal Artillery Tracer Card which notes the following:
Phillip first attested at the Depot Brigade at Oxford on 6th April 1932.
He saw service in various units:
2nd Training Brigade, 54th Field Battery, 65 Medium Brigade, 6 Medium Regiment, RA Depot, 6 Medium Regiment, 57th Heavy Regiment, 56th Heavy regiment, 19th Super Heavy Battery as of 1941 and then 13th Medium Regiment.
“13 Medium Regiment RA was formed in January 1943 from disbanded Super Heavy Batteries and Defence Troops at Overton Park, Tonbridge. It was organised with two batteries. In February 1946 the Regiment was disbanded in the UK.”
It appears he came from the disbanded 19th Super Heavy Battery as noted in the above extract from “RA39-45.co.uk” to join the 13th Medium Regiment.
The 13th Medium Regiment was deployed for active service overseas as part of the 3 Army Group RA, taking part in the invasion of North West Europe starting off with the Normandy “D-Day” Landings, following through France to Germany, earning his other WW2 medals.
By the end of the war he had earned the Mention in Despatches Oak leaf for these services as Sergeant.
Following on from the end of the war, he served in Germany with the British Army of the Rhine, before his release to Class Z Reserve on 5th January 1946.
Even after being released from the Army he looks to have continued on likely in a Territorial capacity, as his entry notes “To REME 1st Oct 1951”
