On 5 July 1900, while serving with the Lord Strathcona’s Horse near Wolve Spruit, South Africa, Sergeant Richardson and his unit were involved in a battle.
Under heavy crossfire Sergeant Richardson rode back to rescue a fallen comrade and for this action was awarded the Victoria Cross.
At the time that he volunteered for service in the Boer War, Richardson was serving in the North West Mounted Police, posted to Battleford.
After the war, Richardson returned to Canada to serve with the mounties and later served as the Chief of Police at Indian Head.
On the 5th July, 1900, at Wolve Spruit, about 15 miles north of Standerton, a party of Lord Strathcona’s Corps, only 38 in number, came into contact, and was engaged at close quarters, with a force of 80 of the enemy.
When the order to retire had been given, Sergeant Richardson rode back under a very heavy cross-fire and picked up a trooper whose horse had been shot and who was wounded in two places and rode with him out of fire.
At the time when this act of gallantry was performed, Sergeant Richardson was within 300 yards of the enemy, and was himself riding a wounded horse.
London Gazette, no.27229, 14 September 1900