The artist’s impression below, drawn with Dick’s co-operation for the London Illustrated News subsequently appeared on recruiting posters, shows Dick waving his men on at Gallipoli with his walking stick. After this he was known as, ‘walking stick Willis V.C.’
SOURCES
The history of King Edward VI Grammar School Totnes and its Famous Old Boys by Thomas Kelly, M.A. (Totnes 1947).
A paper giving biographical details of Richard Raymond Willis and his family.
Memoirs of his life written by Major Richard Willis VC.
The web page at http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/020LancF.htm, entitled Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth" by T.F.Mills
Numerous cuttings from Newspapers and other sources concerning Richard Raymond Willis made available through the kind offices of Peter Worsley, Assistant Editor of This England magazine.
Family photographs courtesy of Mrs. Charmian Rose, Willis’ daughter.
The first Despatch of General Sir Ian Hamilton, Commander in Chief of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, printed in the Third Supplement to the London Gazette of 6th July 1915. The Despatch dealt with the landings and early operations on Gallipoli.
The 1935 Prize Day Programme. Newsletter (mentioned in the March 2003 Newsletter).
Footnote: On the 23rd April, 1968 The Royal Lancashire Fusiliers were amalgamated with four other Fusilier Regiments to form the The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
Should anybody out there have anything to add to this history I should be very pleased to hear from
them and very grateful if they would contact me at:
RogeratBuckland@aol.com
