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After initial contact, Richards then in the Royal Engineers, submitted a number of pictures in May, 1941, described at (6ff), of which LD 1125 was purchased for 15 guineas. Over the next couple of years, he submitted numerous pictures, always with meticulous details of their subjects, and regular purchases were made, as follows:
LD 1454 for 15 guineas in September 1941 (13ff)
LD 1939, IMW:ART LD 1940, LD 1941 in April 1942 for 35 guineas (23ff)
LD 4282, IWM: ART LD 3283-3284 in September 1943 for 45 guineas (30ff)
In September 1943, Richards was offered a three-month commission, but he reluctantly declined, not wishing to risk his present work as in the Parachute Regiment, which he found both enjoyable and artistically inspiring. However, he did accept a six-month commission, offered in December 1943.
This commission saw him landing at Sword Beach on D-day and then travelling through France and, after a brief leave in England, through the Low Countries towards Germany. He regularly sent work back to the committee, with details, for example at (40) and (41), where there are details of IWM:ART LD 4197, LD 4198-9, and, at (63-4), details of 4658-4669. Richards often discusses his feelings about his experiences and his work, in which he was keen to meet his own, and others', expectations.
Meanwhile, his works were in demand for loans to military institutions.
The Committee expressed their great regret when Richards was killed, in March 1945, in the area of the Maas, and began a regular correspondence with Richards's parents. Ivor Lambe, the Committee's Publicity Adviser, drew up a letter which was distributed to press editors, about Richards's life and death, and promoting an exhibition of his work which was held at the National Gallery in April 1945. The file includes numerous presscuttings.
The remainder of the file primarily concerns loan requests for various memorial exhibitions, including at Wallasey School of Arts and Crafts, which Richards had attended, and the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool.
Physical description
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