Colour Sergeant Richard Sandford was born on June 25, 1889 in London England, the son of Arthur Sandford and Alice Sandford. At the age of 24, he immigrated to Canada in 1913. His older brother,  Arthur Charles Sandford (born 1877) was a veteran of the Boer War, as well as being a recipient of the Distinguished Service Order and was also recommended for the Victoria Cross by Lord Roberts.

Richard Sandford signed his Attestation Paper with the 92nd Infantry Battalion “48th Highlanders” (192153), on August 25, 1915 in Toronto, Ontario, at the age of 26, stating that he had one years’ previous military service as a Colour Sergeant with the Queen’s Own Rifles and two years with E.L.R.E. Corp.

The Battalion sailed May 22, 1915 under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel G.G. Chisholm with a strength of 36 officers and 1,096 other ranks. In England, the Battalion was absorbed into the 5th Reserve Battalion. He was later transferred to the 13th Infantry Battalion “Royal Highlanders of Canada” (Quebec Regiment) and was in France nearly three years, when he died of his wounds at No. 20 Casualty Clearing Station, on September 28, 1918, at the age of 29.

He is buried in Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux, Pas de Calais, France, Grave Reference: Plot III, Row A, Grave 2 and is commemorated on page 496 of the First World War Book of Remembrance.

Sandford was posthumously awarded the Military Medal.