Richard Trewern was born at Sandhurst, Victoria, in 1883, the first of eight children. Trewern became an engine driver and served an apprenticeship at the South Devonshire Mining Company for two years. In 1909 he married Florence May Kirk and they had three children.
Trewern enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in August 1915, and was attached to the 12th Reinforcements for the 24th Battalion. He spent some time at bases in Bendigo and Broadmeadows, Victoria, before embarking from Australia on the troopship Euripides in April 1916. Promoted to Acting Sergeant in September 1916, he was hospitalised with laryngitis and bronchitis in December 1916. Trewern remained in action in France until a transfer to England in May 1917.
In October 1917, Trewern was suffering from tonsillitis and was hospitalised. Although his condition improved, during his medical examination it was discovered that he had an enlarged right side of the heart, with irregular action, and he was therefore due for discharge. Accordingly he embarked for Australia on the troopship Corinthic in January 1918, arriving in Australia on 3 March 1918. While on the troopship, Trewern participated in a concert on 16 February, singing a song for the fourth item in the program, “The Farmer’s Pride”, and performing in a sketch titled “Kiki”.
Trewern was discharged medically unfit on 11 April 1918.
Trewern settled in Dandenong, Victoria, after discharge. Little is known of his life after the war, although he was a member of the Bangholme Cricket Club in Dandenong and appears to have provided some entertainment at a club meeting in June 1934. He was also choirmaster for a time at the Dandenong Methodist Choir. After a long illness, Richard Trewern’s wife died at Dandenong in March 1949, and Richard died, also at Dandenong, in August 1950 at the age of 66.