Henry S. Richards - Rhodes Scholar, 1914
Henry Stokes Richards was the first Rhodes Scholar for Canterbury in 1914. He was born in 1894 and entered Rangiora High School in 1905, with a Junior Scholarship and went on to win a Senior Scholarship in 1907 (he was first on the list). He passed the Junior Civil Servants' Examination in January 1908. He won a Junior University Scholarship in 1910 (he was third in the list). Henry Richards was accidentally killed at the tragically early age of 24 whilst serving with the Royal Air Force in England during World War I.
"It is distressing to record that this brilliant young man lost his life during the war period, for, having joined the Royal Air Force, he was accidentally killed while engaged in a practice exercise."
Source: Rangiora High School Diamond Jubilee Publication, 1944
"Lieutenant H. S. Richards (Essex Regiment, attached to the Royal Air Force), was accidentally killed whilst flying in England. He was the 1914 Rhodes Scholar (New Zealand University). He was educated at Rangiora High School and Canterbury University College, where he had a distinguished career, taking his M.A. degree with double first class honours in Mathematics, the senior scholarship in Mathematics, and the Cook Memorial Mathematical Prize. He represented his college at the University Tournaments in 1913, 1914 and 1915. After entering Balliol College [at Oxford University] in 1915, he was commissioned to the Essex Regiment [on 1 November 1915] with which he served during the Somme battle until wounded in the attack upon Thiepval in September 1916. On being discharged from hospital at the end of 1917 he transferred to the Royal Air Force, and was instructing a pilot at the time of his accidental death [on 1 August 1918]. He is the third New Zealand Rhodes Scholar to fall in the war."
Source: 1918 Flight Archive "Personals" 15 August, 1918
Rangiora High School wishes to thank Mr Ian (Ted) Piner (RHS: 1955-1957) for his research on 2nd Lieutenant Henry S. Richards.