Manly Cemetery is no stranger to illustrious residents, and as you wander through the beautiful reserve you may just stumble upon the grave of the remarkable Thomas James Richards.
As the British and Irish Lions Tour comes to its momentous conclusion, it is a poignant time to remember Tom Richards as an illustrious Australian sportsman, a war hero and the only person to have played for both the Lions and the Wallabies.
For the preceding three tours both sides have fought it out for the Tom Richards Cup and whilst corporate sponsorship has seen an inevitable naming right’s change to the trophy, there will be a Tom Richards Medal presented to the player of the series.
Tom Richards’ story is one of remarkable achievement, not only for his incredible sporting endeavours but for his bravery and heroism as a soldier during distinguished campaigns at the Gallipoli Landings and on the Western Front.
The son of a miner, Tom Richards was born in regional NSW in 1882 into a strict church-going family that showed little interest in extracurricular activities. But with Tom’s father sent to South Africa for work he took the opportunity to try his hand at Rugby and he quickly excelled along with his brother Bill.
After honing his skills in NSW playing for local and provincial sides, it was a visit to see his father in South Africa and then to England, which saw Tom picked in numerous provincial sides and county teams.
With this experience under his belt, he returned to Australia and gained selection in the national team to play in the 1908 Olympics against the only other competing side that year, England. Richards scored a try and returned home with the gold medal.
As chance would have it, he was in South Africa visiting family when the British Lions toured in 1910. Short on players, The Lions drafted Richards into the side based on his membership of Bristol during his time in the UK. Richards would represent the Lions on twelve occasions including two test matches against South Africa.
Returning to Australia, Richards began living in Manly, a place where he would eventually settle in later life. A member of the Manly Life Saving Club and the Manly Rugby Club, Richards only played a handful of games due to work and Australian test match commitments before he enlisted for World War I.
Starting out with 1st Field Ambulance, he joined the Australian contingent in Egypt before the unknown deployment to Gallipoli where he had several stints eventually heading to the Western Front serving in perilous conditions.
In 1916, Richards finally saw action as a soldier serving for the 1st Battalion against the Hindenburg Line at Bullecourt. Richards led a bombing party in pushing back a German line 250 metres and claiming numerous key enemy trenches. Wounded with shrapnel, Richards was awarded the Military Cross for his gallantry and promoted to Lieutenant. Richards would suffer a number of war related issues and his health was badly affected by gases used in enemy shelling.
Tom Richards eventually settled back in Manly and formed a relationship with a local girl that ended in a short-lived marriage. He continued to work in sales and wrote for suburban newspapers, but his health continued to fail him, and he died in 1935 aged 53.
An extraordinary life.
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