3460 Company Sergeant Major 45th Battalion Australian Infantry, Australian Imperial Force
Richard Shrimpton was born in Bridgwater on 12 April 1883. He was the son of ironmonger Frederick Edward and Elizabeth Edwards Bleaton Shrimpton, of 30 Northfield. Richard had two brothers in 1891 and the family employed two servants. He attended Doctor Morgans School in Bridgwater, before attending Dean Close School in Cheltenham.In 1901, aged 19, Richard was living in London, boarding in the St. Pancras area. He was working as a draughtsman. Sometime after 1901 he left Britain and served in the South African Constabulary, before emmigrated to Australia in 1911. There he found work as an estate agent, settling on Dapline Street, Botany, Sydney, New South Wales. Evidently travel was in the family's blood, his brother was mentioned by the Bridgwater Mercury on 11 November 1914, 'CANADA AND THE WAR - BRIDGWATER GENTLEMAN'S IMPRESSIONS OF TORONTO Extract from letter to Mr FE Shrimpton, Northfields, Bridgwater from his son Mr Harold Shrimpton'.
Richard enlisted at Warwick Farm, New South Wales and embarked from Sidney on 13 October 1915 on board the HMAT Port Lincoln A17. At that time his rank was Private. On the 20 June 1917 the Bridgwater Mercury reported that 'Local Australian's death from wounds. Company Sergeant Major R K Shrimpton of the Australian Expeditionary Force has died in a hospital in Boulogne on June 12th from wounds received in action. He was a former pupil of Dr Morgans. He was 34. He was wounded in the leg and had an operation which was successful but he suffered a major haemorrhage'.
He is buried in the Etaples Military Cemetery in France, plot XXV. J. 12A. His name was later added to his parents memorial in the Anglican section of the Wembdon Road Cemetery, number 305, which inscription reads: Frederick E Shrimpton died March 26th 1923 aged 88 years. Also Elizabeth wife of the above died October 3rd 1926 aged 75 years. Their son died of wounds received at Messines June 12th 1917 aged 34 years interred at Etapeles.
