The great Australian dual international Tom Richards joined that side in South Africa. Richards, Thomas James (‘Rusty’) MC played for Australia/Great Britain Australia Internationals: 3 : 1908 W- (1t) ; 1909 E+ ; 1912 US+ Great Britain Internationals: 3 : 1910 SA+ SA+ SA+ Thomas Richards was born on 29 April 1882, in Vegetable Creek (now Emmaville) NSW Played as a Prop for: Charters Towers, North Queensland, Mines (South Africa), Transvaal, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Queensland, Manly, Midland Counties, Toulouse Profession: Mining official/journalist Remarks: Brother of E William Richards, 5 caps and Olympic Gold Medal 1908. First exposed to Rugby when NSW played at Charters Towers in 1897 (won 21-9). Although his father had banned him from watching the match due to its being played on a Sunday, his brother William managed to get him in to the ground. He took up the game and was selected for North Queensland in 1903. Moved to South Africa in 1905 and played for Mines in Johannesburg, from where he was selected to play for Transvaal. He was not qualified to play for the 1906 Springboks on their UK tour, due to his short residence in South Africa, but moved to England where he played for Bristol and Gloucestershire, including a match against the Springboks. He returned to Australia in 1908 and was selected in the Wallaby team to tour England and Wales; where he played in both Internationals and in the Olympic Gold Medal team. The Times of London wrote “If ever the Earth had to select a Rugby Football team to play against Mars, Tom Richards would be the first player chosen.” In 1910 he returned to South Africa, and was drafted into the touring Great Britain team as a replacement for an injured player; he played in three Internationals. Returning to Australia in 1911, he was selected for the 1912 Wallaby tour of North America. In 1913 he returned to Bristol and went to France with a Midland and East Midland Counties team; he left he team to explore France, playing for Toulouse and helping the French national side prepare for their International v Wales (lost 8–11 in inadvertent extra time). War service: Lieutenant, 1st (New South Wales) Infantry Battalion, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, Australian Imperial Force; he enlisted on 26 August 1914, and departed Sydney on board HMAT A14 Euripides on 20 October 1914. He transferred to the 1st Battalion from ‘A’ Squadron, 1st Field Ambulance. He served at Gallipoli and on the Western Front. Richards was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in ‘A’ Company of the 1st Battalion on 2 December 1916. In his diary, 2Lt Richards wrote: “This book is being commenced under remarkably different circumstances to the other dozen or so diaries. As an officer of His Majesty’s army I will not take the liberty of writing in the same unrestrained manner, maybe I will not be able, or rather, have the occasion to do so as my position is now changed . . . my present company will probably see things from an entirely different standpoint from the rankers, but so far, in this respect I have not noticed any great differences. Officers have their petty grievances and troubles as does the privates, and many of them are working under the same imaginary ‘drops’.” After the Battle of Bullecourt in May 1917 he wrote: “We have been right into the gaping jaws of Hell . . .where 1st Bn got into touch with Fritz he got Hell from our rifle and hand bombs also from our snipers. But alas! There were blunders made by the 3rd and 11rh and 12th Battalion that were shocking; they got away from enemy bombing stunts like cattle stampeding. But looking at it from a personal view it was glorious for me . . . At 9.30pm as word now came to Coy. Hdqrs. that the 3rd Bn were retiring. Sure enough I found to my dismay that it was a fact. I did not think it possible for a group of Australians to throw up the sponge so frightfully. I got assistance from some 1st Bn bombers and after a while about 16 of the 3rd were coaxed and bullied to come and build a barrier and make a stand . . . then this morning fully 200 men of the 11th and 12th Bns come running out before the German bombing attack. I cursed and swore at the top of my voice, called upon them in the name of Australia to hold out.” Richards was awarded the MC for his deeds at Bullecourt, the citation in the Gazette of 16 August 1917 read: “For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He was in charge of a bombing party, and despite strenuous opposition succeeded in extending the line 250 yards and holding a strong post. He set a splendid example throughout.” Corporal George ‘Snowy’ Howell was awarded the Victoria Cross for his part in the same action. Richards was promoted to Lieutenant. In a later account of Bullecourt, he wrote: “. . . went back along the roadside bank now lined by 170 or more 11th and 12th Bn men. ‘What will Australia think when she knows you deserted your posts and let your brother soldiers down?’ That shifted some back to their trench and I saw Lieut. Bruton in the end with his revolver drawn and preventing the men from going further back. . . . It was a very exciting hour I can tell you and I would have enjoyed it were the men other than Australians.” He was badly gassed in early 1918, and on 31 May he was examined and found to be unfit for active service due to osteoarthritis; he left Europe on 6 August 1918, and returned to Australia via South Africa. In April 1919 he was appointed officer in charge of the employment section of the NSW Repatriation Department. After two years he left to become a travelling tyre salesman. He remained in poor health for the rest of his life. During the 1930’s he wrote a series of articles for The Sydney Mail and about his life and Rugby experiences. Towards the end of his life he wrote to friend: “Don’t be sorry or sympathetic. I have no requests or regrets, and have well fortified myself so that I can still smile and play to the whistle.’ He died on 25 September 1935, in Brisbane, and his ashes are in Manly Cemetery, Sydney. His son, Flight Sergeant James Richards, RAAF, was killed in action near Lae, New Guinea, on 5 March 1944. Prior to his death he carried Rusty’s MC as a good luck talisman, but did not have it with him on his final mission. Richards’ rugby caps and Olympic winner’s certificate are held by the ARFU in Sydney. In 2001, the Tom Richards Trophy was introduced for all International series between Australia and the British and Irish Lions. Also in 2001, Greg Growden, The Sydney Morning Herald’s senior Rugby writer, wrote a biography of Richards: Gold, Mud and Guts.
Is Rusty on the photo then ? I was looking for James in the Lae cemetery but he's remembered on the memorial ... In Memory of Flight Sergeant JAMES JARMAN RICHARDS 418466, Royal Australian Air Force who died age 20 on 05 March 1944 Son of Lillian Richards, of Armadale, Victoria. Remembered with honour LAE MEMORIAL
I can't recognise him in the photo, but it may have been taken before he joined the tour as a replacement, Gareth
Australian Sporting Heroes – Rugby Union Test player, Tom “Rusty” Richards (1887-1935) is the only player ever to represent both Australia (3 Tests) and England (British Isles, 3 Tests). In World War One he served at Gallipoli and won the Military Cross for bravery in France. He also won a gold medal at the 1908 Olympics as a member of Australia’s all-conquering Rugby Union team. Plot Z373 Buried with him is his brother Bill Richards, who played 5 times for Australia in Rugby Tests. Also in Manly Cemetery is Frank “Banger” Row (1877- 1950) who captained Australia in the first Rugby Union Test against the British Isles in 1899 Plot B11 Manly Cemetery is thought to be the fourth oldest cemetery still in use in Sydney. It is one of only two major burial grounds from the 19th century on Sydney’s North Shore – the other is Gore Hill Cemetery at St Leonards. http://www.manly.nsw.gov.au/IgnitionSuite/uploads/docs/Cemetery_Walk_adult.pdf
As I'm sure you've noticed, the statement about Richards being the only man to represent both the Lions and Australia isn't correct. Blair Swannell played for the Lions in 1899 and 1904 and then for the Wallabies (though they hadn't then adopted the name) in 1905. Gareth
