Lewis Richard Lewis was a serving soldier when Southampton invited him for a trial that took the form of a Southern League match, at inside-right. His unusual arrangement of names confused the Echo reporter, who decided that this

“fine, strapping fellow with a good shot”

was called “Lewis Richards”. Before he would reappear for the Saints, however, he would be posted to Belfast and then to France. Having played a bit for Abertillery and Boscombe in 1914-15, he then concentrated, as an unregistered player, on army football, until he played for Queens Park Rangers and Southampton in 1916-17. By then, he had returned from the Front, after fracturing an ankle in a shell explosion, and had been recuperating, on light duties, at the Eastern Command Depot in Shoreham. After two games for the Saints in the spring of 1917, it was apparent that his injuries had weakened his leg and his only future club was Swansea who he joined in December 1919.

After leaving the Army he joined the R.A.F. and in June 1921 found himself serving in India as an aircraftsman with the 31st squadron.