Richard Townsend

Richard Townsend
Richard Townsend, 1918
Biographical Information
Full name	Richard Townsend
Born	1874 Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
Died	October 1918 Cambrai, France (aged 44)
Cause of death	Tank explosion
Citizenship	Scottish
Religion	Protestant
Career information
Occupation	Soldier
Rank	Officer
Affiliations	British Army Royal Tank Corps
Political party	Scottish Unionist Party

Richard Townsend was a British Army officer during the Second Battle of Cambrai.

In October 1918, surrounded by German troops, Townsend sacrificed himself in a tank explosion by igniting Black Bess' leaking gasoline fumes.