From Barmera to Hiroshima and a Papal blessing
Local
There will be very few people still alive who can bear first-hand witness to the devastation caused by the world’s most infamous nuclear explosion but a former grape grower from Loxton is one of them.
Longevity though is clearly in the genes for Tom Richards who turned 100-years-old in April this year.
When The Southern Cross went to visit Tom at his Resthaven home in Malvern a few days after his centenary birthday, cards and celebratory ballons were pride of place.
“The family got together for my birthday,” said Tom. “I’ve got four children, two grandchildren and four great grandchildren. There were 22 of us, it was nice.
“People stopped in and said hello, the staff all said ‘happy birthday’.”
Did he say a few words?
“Yes, it was a short speech. No-one ever complained about a short speech…”
CENTENARIAN: Tom, just days after his 100th birthday
The accolades and greetings kept rolling in, not least of which was a surprise (and very nicely, red and blue packaged) papal blessing arranged by Fr John Shanahan at Emmaus parish where Tom has played an active role for the past half century.
Pope Leo XIV wasn’t the only high roller with cards from King Charles and Queen Camilla (Tom is not particularly a royalist said his daughter Susanne but appreciated the gesture) with the Prime Minister, SA Premier and Governor-General all adding their best wishes.
Tom’s story is, quite obviously, of an era wholly different from the 21st century and enthralling for it.
From Barmera in the Riverlands, his first attempt at joining the armed services at the tail end of World War 11 was unsuccessful.
“My brother Bill was killed on the Kokoda Trail when he was in the army,” said Tom. “I said then that I wanted to join up and dad said ‘no way’. He had signed Bill’s papers.”
A little while later though, “Mum okayed me joining the Airforce ground staff”.
He was dispatched to Borneo and Japan for around 12 months, including a spell in Hiroshima just three months after the bomb – nicknamed Little Boy – was dropped in August 1945.
The impact was immense with about 70,000 to 80,000 people killed instantly or by the end of the year and thousands more later dying from radiation sickness.
“It was terrible,” recalled Tim. “The bloody people there, they didn’t have anything to do with this. Everything was wrecked, nothing left standing apart from one or two concrete buildings with windows blown out.
We never had much to do with the Japanese (locals). I have never been back.”
He was in the air force for 2.5 years all up before taking advantage of an ex-serviceman’s scheme to buy land, 27 acres in Loxton the outcome.
“I ran the whole place on my own, it wasn’t hard work,” he said.
The grapes were about volume said Susanne with the caveat that Tom is not much of a drinker.
“Good genes, good lifestyle and luck. Aren’t they what makes a long life?” she said.
Tom’s great luck was in marrying Phylis, a nurse who converted to Catholicism.
“We were married (in a Baptist church) in Henley Beach. My mother and sisters had to sit outside the church while the marriage was going on as they were Catholics,” Tom said.
It was Phylis who suggested they go back to church after some time away. Tom had been an alter boy and coming back was important he said.
They moved to Adelaide in the early 1970s and attended St Therea’s church first and the Our Lady of Dolours where Tom collected money from parishioners every week for 22 years.
“Des McCaffrey was looking for someone to help collect the money in the church. He was killed in a car accident later and I did it for 22 years.”
While in Adelaide he worked for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission which meant travelling around South Australia making sure the war graves had been maintained and put in the place the Commonwealth wanted.
“I worked on my own, all of SA and Broken Hill. Most country towns would have a Commonwealth war grave. Often they were way out of town and pretty desolate most of the time.”
And the secret for a long, and good, life?
“I’d walk for an hour a day,” said Tom. “I kept myself pretty fit.”
