"Henry Stokes Richards, born on July 13, 1894 [16/07/1894 according to BDM Online and Martyn (2008)], was the son of S. H. Richards of Oamara [Oamaru], New Zealand, and was educated at Rangiora High School and Canterbury University College, where he took the degree M.A. with first-class honours in Mathematics, and won other high distinctions in the same subject. He represented his College both in Rugby football and on the running-ground, and gained prizes at school and college for rifle-shooting. He was elected Rhodes Scholar for 1915, but shortly after his arrival in England in the autumn of that year he took a commission in the 12th Essex Regiment. In July 1916 he went to France and served on the Somme, until he was wounded, in September 1916 in the attack on Thiepval. He was in hospital for about a year, and during his convalescence sometimes visited the College. At the end of 1917 he was transferred to the Royal Air Force, and underwent instruction as a pilot at Reading. He was expecting to return to the front, when he met his death by an accident while flying near Shorncliffe, on August 1, 1918." [Balliol College War Memorial Book]