Three: Warrant Officer (Mate) A. T. Richmond, Nigerian Marine

1914-15 Star (W.O. A. T. Richmond. Nigerian Marine); British War and Victory Medals (W.O. A. T. Richmond. Nigerian Marine.) with M.I.D. oak leaves on ribbon of 1914-15 Star, together with ribbon bar for D.S.C. and 1914-15 Trio and M.I.D. oak leaves on the Star, good very fine and very scarce (3) £200-£260

M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1916: ‘Mr A. Richmond, Mate, Nigeria Marine. For services during operations in the Cameroons.’

Alfred Thomas Richmond was born at Newmilns, Ayrshire, on 3 August 1880. He entered the Merchant Navy, obtaining his Certificate for Masters and Mates of Steamships, Foreign Trade Certificate (No. 003192), qualyfying as 2nd Mate at Cardiff on 2 May 1905, and for 1st Mate at Swansea on 27 November 1906. He qualified as Master at Newport on 13 September 1912, and by the outbreak of war in 1914 had gained employment in the Nigerian Marine. He answered an early call for assistance in protecting British interests in the region of West Africa from German occupation. He served as Warrant Officer/Mate in the Nigerian Marine and is listed in The Official History of the War in the Cameroons as being Master of the steam-tug Walrus (late Apapa, captured at Lagos) up to 13 August 1915, undertaking mine-sweeping, despatch and patrol work, for which he was mentioned in despatches. He was afterwards Master of the steamship Hausa, 2nd-31st March, 1916, and of the paddle-tug Porpoise, 21st-26th April, 1916. He proceeded to Victoria on completion of operations in the Cameroons and carried out service under the direction of the Nigerian Marine Officer at that place. Richmond subsequently received the sum of £11.0.0 from the distribution of the Naval Prize Fund awarded to parties employed in the salvage of German vessels at Duala between October 1914 and February 1916. In 1939 he is recorded as living at Newport, Monmouthshire, as a ‘Retired Pilot, invalided from the Nigerian Marine Office.’ He died at Newport on 8 September 1946, aged 66. Sold with comprehensive research.