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Note: William Henry Richards M.M. 30 October 1912 - 11 February 1975 My father William Henry Gralton was born at home in Bridge Street, Breakfast Creek on October 30 1912 and after the death of his father his mother, Marie Guthrie Gralton, married Pop Richards (Jack Alwyn Richards) in 1927. Bridge Street is now known as Nariel Street Breakfast Creek. There was a State School in Agnes Street Breakfast Creek and this is no doubt where Bill and Ron attended in their early years. This is now a Special School. Following the separation of his father (about 1919/1920), William Henry Gralton and his mother Marie, Bill and his two brothers and sister were raised by his fathers sister Dorothy Gralton at 225 Water Street, Fortitude Valley. Dad was 13 when his father died and 14 when Pop Richards married and came into the family in 1927. Following the death of Dad's father the children were sent to Guinewin, near Injune and later they moved to Carter Street, Northgate in 1927. The three boys, Bill, Ron and Owen, decided to change their names by Deed Poll to that of Pop. Zena was told by Marie that it would be a waste of money changing her name as she would eventually marry. Dad started his apprenticeship at the age of 14 as a French Polisher and Maker of Fine Furniture with Ed. Rosenstengel on January 21 1927. He remained with Ed. for 9.5 years until June 26 1936. At this date he was 23. The next career move was to open, in conjunction with his sister Zena's husband Walter Thomas Bradburne, a bakery next door to home at Carter Street and there was a Caf�e / retail shop in Station Road and factory in Sandgate Road, Nundah. Wally and Dad did the baking. Together they made meat pies and sausage rolls and baked cakes and scones. One of the original employees was Ronald Hedley Kliese and Ron worked with Dad at the bakery and later on the Racetrack as a penciler until Dad died in 1975. Ron originally joined the Army (Service Number Q100534) enlisting on June 02 1941 and Discharged June 05 1944 and on June 06, 1944 joined the Royal Air Force until Discharge on Feb 06, 1946. (His Air Force service Number was 441207). Dad's brother Owen joined the Australian Navy on September 2 1939 (Serial number B2427) and Wally joined the Air Force 17 July 1941 and the caf�e at Nundah was sold on 17 July 1941. According to the stock sheets the Plant & Equipment were valued at............. �540-08-06 Ford Truck.......................................................... �175-00-00 ................................................................................�715-08-06 and the stock on hand was........................... �111-05-00 making a total of............................................... �826-13-06.
The wholesale operation was retained and Dad joined the Australian Army on December 29 1941 (Serial Number QX26271). Dad's occupation on his Attestation Form was 'Master Pastry Cook'
Pop Richards and Marie together with a qualified baker by the name of Ron Richards (no relation) ran the Carter Street bake house while Dad and the others were away at the war.
After the war Dad returned to the bake house and one week after the 40 hour working week was brought in by Ned Hanlon's Government on 1st January 1948 the bake house closed for good.
An examination of Dads War Service records reveal the following events while serving in the 2/25 Battalion.
Dad left Australia on........................ 01.12.1942 and Arrived New Guinea on.................. 04.12.1942 and then
Left New Guinea on......................... 17.01.1943 and Arrived back in Australia............... 19.01.1943 for regrouping
Left Townsville.................................. 19.07.1943 and Arrived Port Moresby on................22.07.1943
Wounded in action...........................13.09.1943
Left Port Moresby............................. 12.02.1944 Arrived Brisbane.............................. 16.02.1944
After arriving in Port Moresby Dad's Unit proceeded to Nadzab in the Markham Valley on their push to Lae. On 10 September at Jensen's Plantation the 2/25 Battalion encountered serious opposition from the Japanese. The next day a force of about 200 marines held up the advance of the unit until they were given artillery support and they were then able to advance to Whittaker's Plantation. On the 13th September the unit met strong resistance from Japanese marines who were stubbornly defending their position at Heath's Plantation.
A quotation from the Dad's war records :-
"RECOMMENDED FOR IMMEDIATE AWARD OF M.M.
During an attack by 11 pl B Coy on an enemy position at 601454 Cpl RICHARDS was severely wounded by MG fire in the stomach, back and arm.
His position was such that it was not possible to rescue him immediately and for 45 minutes, in spite of his severe wounds, and lying exposed to heavy fire, he continued to give orders to his section, which was pinned down, and acting as O.P. during efforts to silence the gun approx 50 yards away.
On several occasions he ordered men who were attempting to rescue him, to go back. For this act of extreme bravery and devotion to duty, I recommend the Immediate award of the MILITARY MEDAL.
I recommend that this award be made. Cpl RICHARDS is an outstanding NCO and his courage in this instance was a magnificent example to his men."
Dad was promoted to A/Sgt on April 4 1942 and Sgt on July 16 1942. On March 26 1943 he was reduced to Private 'at own request'. He later was promoted to Corporal. After returning from New Guinea on February 16 1944, there is a record of an offence on April 29 1944. He was 'AWL from 2000 hrs 12.4.44 to 1100 hrs 20.4.44' He was reduced in Rank to Private and forfeited 8 days pay. November 28 1944 William Henry Richards married Jean Matthews who had nursed him back to health after he was wounded in action in New Guinea. Mum and Dad were married at Corpus Christi Catholic Church Nundah. As a result of his injuries and being near the end of WW2 Dad was discharged from the Army on February 15 1945 and Mum was discharged from the Army on 23 January 1945.
Dad received a letter from the office of the Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia dated September 9 1946 stating that it was impracticable for His Royal Highness, the Governor General, to personally present him with his Military Medal and that he was to forward the Medal to His Excellency the Lieutenant-Governor of Queensland, with a request that he present it to him on the Governor-General's behalf. The Governor General was Lord Gowrie.
His Excellency the Governor of Queensland, Hon. Sir John Lavarack, invited Marie and Jack Richards and Mrs. W.H. Richards to the Presentation of Decorations and Awards on Wednesday November 20, 1946 at 10.30 am at Government House, Bardon Brisbane.
At the ceremony Dad was presented with his Military Medal for Gallantry, which was awarded on 20 January, 1944.
Dad's Military Medal was Gazetted for the Commonwealth of Australia on 2 December 1943, page 2611, position 47 and on 20 January 1944, page 391, position 30 for the London Gazette.
Peter Thomas Richards BOOKIES KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY If there seems to be a homely touch about the operations' of two QTC paddock bookmakers, Bill Richards and Jack Sweeney, is not surprising. Richards, who fields on southern events, employs four of his sons on race days, and Sweeney, who bets on local events, has three of his sons on his staff. Richards, who has a family of seven sons and a daughter is an AIF veteran of World War II. He served with the 2/25 Battalion and won a Military Medal in the New Guinea campaign. The four sons who work with Richards at the races are Billy, 25 a bank security officer, Brian, 22 a clerk and twins, Ronald, a laboratory technician, and Donald, 20 a QIT accountancy student. Peter, 23 an accountant, also worked with his father until recently when he moved to a better position in Sydney. Youngest of the Richards family, Patrick, 14, is a student at Downlands College, Toowoomba. There is not a better known name at that school for all the Richards boys completed their education there. Their only sister, Mary 17 also is at school. She is sitting for the senior examination this year. Richards and Sweeney are most appreciative of the Queensland Turf Club's action in allowing sons of registered bookmakers to take out clerks' licences when they are 18 instead of having to wait until they are 21. "Apart from the money they earn which helps them to pay for their studies it is good experience for them," said Richards. Sons of registered bookmakers are the only minors granted Clerks' licenses by the QTC, which stipulates that they must work for their father and no other bookmaker until they reach 21.
Brisbane Newspaper (about June 1949 - Based on the age of Brian 11 months). Saved by hood A steel hood, recently installed by the owner, probably saved the lives of some of the seven people who were in a car which overturned in Sandgate Road, Boondall, at 5.10 p.m. yesterday. After being struck by another car, the car crashed on to its side, spun on the steel hood, and then crashed on to its other side. A man, three women, and three young children were in the car. The adults gathered the children, and crawled from the car uninjured, except for minor bruises and scratches. The occupants were Mr. W. H. Richards, the driver, his wife, Jean, 35, and their three children, Peter two, Alwyn three, and Brian 11 months, all of Northgate, Miss Nora McGovern, 39, single, of Sapsford Street, Northgate, and Mrs. Maud Fulton, 60, of Carl Street, Thompson Estate. All were treated by Sandgate ambulance bearers and allowed go to their homes.
SILVER WEDDING
Richards - Matthews. --- William (Bill) to Jean at Corpus Christi, Nundah on November 28, 1944. Congratulations and love from your family. At home to all relatives and friends on Sunday, November 30, from 12 noon. 30 Donkin Street, Scarborough.
Popular Bill Richards Brisbane bookmaking's best-known family unit lost its leader when Billy Richards died in Mount Olivet Hospital on Tuesday night. Billy fielded on southern events, and at one time or another he was assisted by his seven sons - Bill Junior, Peter, Brian, Ron and Don (twins), Patrick and Robert, all of whom held clerks' licences. And it always was a feature of any Brisbane meeting to see Billy Richards surrounded by this group of pleasant young men on or near his stand. Mr. Richards fielded for 27 years in Brisbane, during which he and his boys compounded a popular and affectionate following. Bill Richards was not always a bookmaker. During World War II he served with the 2nd 25th Battalion, and was awarded the Military Medal in Lae.
Honours and awards (gazetted) William Henry Richards William Henry Richards was awarded the following honours:
Military Medal Service Number QX26271 Service Army Rank Corporal Unit 2/25th Bn Conflict WW2 Date of London Gazette 20 January 1944, page 391, position 30 Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 2 December 1943, page 2611, position 47
Service Record Name RICHARDS, WILLIAM HENRY Service Australian Army Service Number QX26271 Date of Birth 30 Oct 1912 Place of Birth BRISBANE, QLD Date of Enlistment 29 Dec 1941 Locality on Enlistment NORTHGATE, QLD Place of Enlistment BRISBANE, QLD Next of Kin RICHARDS, W Date of Discharge 15 Feb 1945 Rank Private Posting at Discharge 2/25 Battalion WW2 Honours and Gallantry Military Medal Prisoner of War No
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