Story
William Richards lived at Woodend, between Kippax and Allerton Bywater. Before the War he was a blacksmith at Allerton Bywater Colliery. He was also an Army reservist who re-joined his unit at the outbreak of war. While in France, he saw much of the Maginot Line, and in 1940 he was stationed in the Middle East. William sent home a photograph of himself mounted on a camel.
According to Stanley Jones, William was later captured, and was held as a prisoner of War in Germany, in the largest prisoner of war camp, Stalag 4B. Whilst held in this camp, he met Charles William Daniels, and William Milner, both from Allerton Bywater. He was also awarded the Military Medal at the end of the War, although the citation has yet to be found.
Below: The burial of a British prisoner from Stalag IV-B near Dresden, after he was shot by German guards. Despite the Nazi soldiers’ role in the British man’s death they saluted his coffin and fired their rifles during the funeral service:
Kippax Roll of Honour 