Victor Richardson

Victor Richardson was born in Hove on 18th March 1895. He was educated at Uppingham School where he met Edward Brittain and Roland Leighton. They were described by Roland's mother, as the "Three Musketeers". Edward later introduced Victor to his sister, Vera Brittain.

The three men joined the Officers' Training Corps (OTC). A fellow student, C.R.W. Nevinson, described the mood of the school as "appalling jingoism". Nevinson complained that because he did not share this patriotism he was "kicked, hounded, caned, flogged, hair-brushed, morning, noon and night. The more I suffered, the less I cared. The longer I stayed, the harder I grew." The headmaster told them on Speech Day that: "If a man can't serve his country he's better dead."

As Alan Bishop has pointed out in his book, Letters From a Lost Generation (1998): "The OTC provided the institutional mechanism for public school militarism. But a more complex web of cultural ideas and assumptions, some taken from the classics, some from popular fiction, some even developed through competitive sports on the playing fields, was instilled by schoolmasters in their pupils, and contributed to the generation of 1914's overwhelming willingness to march off in search of glory."

Victor Richardson, whose ambition was to become a doctor, won a place at Cambridge University. Soon after the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 Richardson abandoned his studies to join the Royal Sussex Regiment. While training in Horsham in January 1915 he caught cerebrospinal meningitis and was sent to a hospital in Brighton.

On the night of 22nd December 1915 Roland Leighton was ordered to repair the barbed wire in front of his trenches. It was a moonlit night with the Germans only a hundred yards away and Leighton was shot by a sniper. His last words were: "They got me in the stomach, and it's bad." He died of his wounds at the military hospital at Louvencourt on 23rd December 1915. After the death of Leighton, his girlfriend, Vera Brittain, began writing to Victor.

On 8th January 1916 Victor suggested a meeting with Vera. "May I come and see you on Wednesday afternoon? I suggest this next Wednesday, because I am on guard at one of the Arsenal entrances during the week, and as it is not an important position I could leave my coadjutor in charge for the afternoon, and disappear - without leave..... Of course if you do not feel inclined to see people I shall quite understand. If I do not hear from you I shall assume this to be the case." As she told her brother, Edward Brittain, Vera agreed to the meeting: "I had tea with Victor on Wednesday. Of course we talked of Roland the whole time."

In September 1916 Richardson transferred to the 9th King's Royal Rifles and was sent back to the Western Front. He wrote to Vera Brittain on 31st October, describing life in the front-line trenches: "It was very quiet and without much excitement. We did not get any heavy shells at all till the last day when a couple of 5.9s amused themselves at our expense for about half-an-hour, but without doing any damage. Whizz-Bangs - about which one has heard so much - are perfectly harmless in a trench, as the trajectory is so flat that it is nearly impossible for them to land in a trench. There is practically no rifle or machine gun fire and what there is appears to be unaimed - fixed rifles and swinging traverses for the most."

Richardson admitted that the situation would change when he had to take part in the fighting: "I have so far come across nothing more gruesome than a few very dead Frenchman in No Man's Land, so cannot give you very thrilling descriptions. The thing one appreciates in the life here more than anything else is the truly charming spirit of good fellowship and freedom from pettiness that prevails everywhere."

In January 1917 Richardson was sent to the 3rd Army School. Edward Brittain pointed out that he "has the courtesy title of Captain while he is there and has to wear Captain's badges; it is a most curious thing and I have never heard of an instance of it before." The following month he was back on the front-line. He told Vera Brittain that he expected to be involved in the planned major offensive that would end the war and hoped that he would "not come down at the last fence".

Richardson wrote to Vera again on the 4th March 1917: "In ordinary times I would always go out of my way to avoid seeing a street accident. The other day I saw one of our planes brought down in flames and actually went to investigate for myself. You can imagine what I saw when I got there and I won't describe it. Thank God the pilot was dead before I arrived , but it was the worst thing I have seen out here or anywhere else."

On 3rd April 1917, Vera told Edward Brittain about a letter she received from Richardson: "Victor too sends me a letter half cynical, half hopelessly resigned; apparently he was on the verge of an attack, for he spoke of perhaps never writing to me again... This too leaves me anxiously and very sadly wondering how long it will be before I hear any more of him and what it will be when I do."

Richardson was badly wounded during an attack at Arras on 9th April 1917. It was later reported that he "was leading his platoon was hit in the arm but took his coat off had the wound bandaged and went on; it was at the 2nd German line that he got the bullet through his head and the Colonel himself gave him morphia because he was in pain." His commanding officer wrote to his parents: "You have good reason to be proud of him... he did his best and it was a good best too. I have sent his name in for the Military Cross and I have no doubt that he will get it."

Vera Brittain wrote to her mother, Edith Brittain: "There really does not seem much point in writing anything until I hear further news of Victor, for I cannot think of anything else... I knew he was destined for some great action, even as I knew beforehand about Edward, for only about a week ago I had a most pathetic letter from him - a virtual farewell. It is dreadful to be so far away and all among strangers.... Poor Edward! What a bad time the Three Musketeers have had!"

Richardson was sent back to London where he received specialist treatment at a hospital in Chelsea. His friend, Edward Brittain, visited him in hospital, and then wrote to his sister, Vera, about his condition: "It is not known yet whether Victor will die or not, but his left eye was removed in France and the specialist who saw him thinks it is almost certain that the sight of the right eye has gone too... The bullet - probably from a machine-gun - went in just behind the left eye and went very slightly upwards but not I'm afraid enough to clear the right eye; the bullet is not yet out though very close to the right edge of the temple; it is expected that it will work through of its own accord... We are told that he may remain in his present condition for a week. I don't think he will die suddenly but of course the brain must be injured and it depends upon how bad the injury is. I am inclined to think it would be better that he should die; I would far rather die myself than lose all that we have most dearly loved, but I think we hardly bargained for this. Sight is really a more precious gift than life."

Vera Brittain decided to return home after the death of Geoffrey Thurlow and the serious injuries suffered by Victor. She told her brother: "As soon as the cable came saying that Geoffrey was killed, only a few hours after the one saying that Victor was hopelessly blind, I knew I must come home. It will be easier to explain when I see you, also - perhaps - to consult you about something I can't possibly discuss in a letter. Anyone could take my place here, but I know that nobody else could take the place that I could fill just now at home."

Edward Brittain went to visit Victor and on 7th May he told his sister: "He was told last Wednesday that he will probably never see again, but he is marvellously cheerful.... He is perfectly sensible in every way and I don't think there is the very least doubt that he will live. He said that the last few days had been rather bitter. He hasn't given up hope himself about his sight."

Vera arrived in London on 28th May 1917. The next ten days she spent at Victor's bedside. As Alan Bishop points out: "His mental faculties appeared to be in no way impaired. On 8 June, however, there was a sudden change in his condition. In the middle of the night he experienced a miniature explosion in the head, and subsequently became very distressed and disoriented. By the time his family reached the hospital Victor had become delirious."

Victor Richardson died of a cerebral abscess on 9th June, 1917 and is buried in Hove. He was awarded the Military Cross posthumously.

Primary Sources

(1) Roland Leighton, letter to Vera Brittain (8th February, 1915)

I had a letter yesterday to say that Richardson is very dangerously ill with cerebro-spinal meningitis at Brighton. Edward and I have arranged to go down there, although it is very doubtful whether we shall be able to see him, as he is still unconscious and must be kept quiet. I am just off to London now and aim to meet with Edward at Brighton this morning.

This is all I know about it at present I do hope that he will get through it all right; although the doctor here says that this form of meningitis is more often fatal than not. I am feeling most distressed about him.

(2) Roland Leighton, letter to Vera Brittain (10th February, 1915)

I met Edward at Brighton on Monday at about 3 p.m. He had already been there since 10.30, but had not been allowed by the doctors to go near Richardson. His father and his aunt are permitted to see him for a few minutes only once a day. I am thankful to say that he seems decidedly better now, although the doctors will not say definitely that the danger is passed. When he was brought over from Horsham his case seemed quite hopeless.That was last Tuesday. Since then he has been delirious most of the time, but now is beginning to be conscious, although lie cannot yet realise where he is. He persists in repeating commands and seems to imagine that he is drilling inen.The chief danger is that, being so weak, he may have a relapse. Personally I have hopes that lie will be all right now.

(3) Victor Richardson, letter to Vera Brittain (8th January, 1916)

May I come and see you on Wednesday afternoon? I suggest this next Wednesday, because I am on guard at one of the Arsenal entrances during the week, and as it is not an important position I could leave my coadjutor in charge for the afternoon, and disappear - without leave. Moreover I don't know when I shall have another opportunity - probably not for three or four weeks, and possibly not at all as I hope to join our drafting unit at Cambridge in about that time. My hopes in this direction are being raised by the application of Conscription to Home Service Territorial's. The War Office are quite capable of refusing one as a volunteer and taking one as a conscript!

Of course if you do not feel inclined to see people I shall quite understand. If I do not hear from you I shall assume this to be the case.

(4) Victor Richardson, letter to Vera Brittain on the death of Roland Leighton (26th January, 1916)

In the first place the wire in front of the trenches has to be kept in good order under all circumstances. The fact that there was a bright moon early in the night would not prevent the enemy making an attack later on in the night, or at dawn; and there is always the chance that if the wire was down they might get through, especially as any weak spots would have been marked down in daylight. This view would almost certainly be held by the officer responsible for the defence of the sector.

(5) Vera Brittain letter to Edward Brittain (31st May, 1916)

Victor and I had supper at the Trocadero on Sunday night. He was in one of his excitable moods and almost forgot to salute in his anxiety to know what the news of you was. Your letter which I received on Saturday came rather too late in the day to enable me to telegraph to him... He somewhat surprised me by a very decided announcement that he intends after the war (in which apparently he still has very little chance of ever taking a more active part than at present) to go into the church.

(6) Victor Richardson, letter to Vera Brittain (11th June, 1916)

Edward told me what he said he told you about things at the Front... I think there is no doubt that he feels the terror and horror of it all most acutely. I am more than ever convinced that it is worse for him than it was for Roland. Edward entirely lacks any primitive warring side to his character, such as Roland possessed. One feels with Edward that he is sustained by duty alone. I do not think that the heroic and glorious side of war appeals to him as it did to Roland, and I think that this makes it much harder for him.

(7) Victor Richardson, letter to Vera Brittain (31st October, 1916)

You may or may not be interested to hear that I have done the unlucky thing, and transferred - been transferred that is - to the 9th King's Royal Rifle Corps - I left England six days after you did...

When we were in the line we were not so very far North of where Roland was, and it must have been just the same sort of thing that he experienced. I suppose it becomes boring after a time, but being so new I thoroughly enjoyed it. It is not half so bad as one is always led to believe - and of course one never appreciates the good side of it all till one has seen it...

It was very quiet and without much excitement. We did not get any heavy shells at all till the last day when a couple of 5.9s amused themselves at our expense for about half-an-hour, but without doing any damage. Whizz-Bangs - about which one has heard so much - are perfectly harmless in a trench, as the trajectory is so flat that it is nearly impossible for them to land in a trench. There is practically no rifle or machine gun fire and what there is appears to be unaimed - fixed rifles and swinging traverses for the most.

There is a lot of trench mortar work and also varied bombs, but one can generally see these things coming which renders them fairly harmless. The trenches are wonderfully clean even in bad weather and the dugouts very comfortable, though some people might dislike their earthy smell...

I have so far come across nothing more gruesome than a few very dead Frenchman in No Man's Land, so cannot give you very thrilling descriptions. The thing one appreciates in the life here more than anything else is the truly charming spirit of good fellowship and freedom from pettiness that prevails everywhere.

(8) Victor Richardson, letter to Vera Brittain (4th March, 1917)

In ordinary times I would always go out of my way to avoid seeing a street accident. The other day I saw one of our planes brought down in flames and actually went to investigate for myself. You can imagine what I saw when I got there and I won't describe it. Thank God the pilot was dead before I arrived , but it was the worst thing I have seen out here or anywhere else.

(9) Edward Brittain, letter to Vera Brittain (22nd April, 1917)

It is not known yet whether Victor will die or not, but his left eye was removed in France and the specialist who saw him thinks it is almost certain that the sight of the right eye has gone too... The bullet - probably from a machine-gun - went in just behind the left eye and went very slightly upwards but not I'm afraid enough to clear the right eye; the bullet is not yet out though very close to the right edge of the temple; it is expected that it will work through of its own accord...

We are told that he may remain in his present condition for a week. I don't think he will die suddenly but of course the brain must be injured and it depends upon how bad the injury is. I am inclined to think it would be better that he should die; I would far rather die myself than lose all that we have most dearly loved, but I think we hardly bargained for this. Sight is really a more precious gift than life.

(10) Vera Brittain, letter to Edward Brittain (23rd April, 1917)

I am broken-hearted about Victor. It is better to be anything than blind; I am not sure that it is not better to be dead. I suppose he is disfigured very much. His lovely eyes - I can't bear to think they will never any more look "right into one's soul" as Mrs Leighton said they did.

(11) Vera Brittain letter to Edward Brittain (4th May, 1917)

As soon as the cable came saying that Geoffrey was killed, only a few hours after the one saying that Victor was hopelessly blind, I knew I must come home. It will be easier to explain when I see you, also - perhaps - to consult you about something I can't possibly discuss in a letter. Anyone could take my place here, but I know that nobody else could take the place that I could fill just now at home....