Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Coonawarra’s First Enlistee

Colin Henry Rickard SX7609 2/48th Battalion

Private Colin Henry Rickard was born at Nurse Gulin’s in Edithburgh, South Australia on the 1st October, 1920 to Ellie and Cliff and was their only child. He completed his early schooling at Murray Bridge and of course loved fishing in his spare time. Once he left school, he went to live with and work for his Aunt and Uncle Frank Lynn, on their sheep farm, at Coonawarra.

Aged just 19 he enlisted on July 2nd 1940, training at the Woodside Army Camp in the Adelaide Hills. Before departing, he went on embarkation leave and attended a dance held in the Coonawarra Soldiers' Memorial Hall where there was a large attendance of visitors from Penola and Naracoorte. The local Border Watch Newspaper reported that ‘The Vice Chairman of the Coonawarra Vigilance Association spoke of the sterling qualities of the young soldier. He said that Colin was following in the footsteps of his father, who with his two brothers, went through the last Great War.’ Colin was presented with a fountain pen and ‘comforts’ from the Comfort Fun. In the dance that followed, Colin first met 16 year old Shirley. The two met again several times with Colin then asking if she would write to him while he was away. He became a member of the newly formed 2/48th Battalion which went to Tobruk where despite the horrific conditions, he survived.

Prior to his 21st birthday, Colin penned a poignant poem that was published in the Border Chronicle in August 1941:

When I get back from this terrible war,

I'll turn the lock on the front and back door;

If they want me to go shooting, and picnicking too,

I'll say "Buzz off you fellows for I've got the 'flu."

I won't do any work for a long, long while,

I'll sleep half the time, and live in good style,

I'll just ring a bell and call for some ale,

I'll drink and I'll drink; yes, I'll drink like a whale.

And then when I come out of the first big whirl

I'll go right along to see my dear girl,

Who has been waiting for me since I went away,

And from whose side never again will I stray.

I may go to a dance or a picture perhaps,

Or else for a spot with some of the chaps,

But most you'll see me with Mum and Dad,

Or the girl friend, too, which won't be too bad.

When they take me down along the white sands,

I'll think of the days spent in those arid lands;

I'll shudder and think of the dust everywhere,

The dust that we ate, that made us all swear.

When the fighting is over and I get back home,

From the ones that I love no more will I roam;

It will be Aussie forever, she will do me,

The land of the living, the land of the free.

Despite the conditions, Colin and other locals regularly wrote home to thank the Red Cross and Christmas Cheer Committee for the canteen supplies they sent. Colin’s next theatre of war was at El Alamein where he survived until the last night of battle on the 31st October 1942, just after his 22nd birthday. In his book, ‘Tobruk to Tarakan’, John Glenn described that night as ‘the most bitter and bloody fight of the war’ and that those survivors of the 2/48th ‘had lived a lifetime in one night.’ Colin was struck by a machine gun bullet which went through the femur of his right leg, ending his active service. He was evacuated on a hospital ship early in January 1943 to recuperate at the Daw Park Repatriation Hospital. Almost a year previously, Colin’s parents had moved from Wirrega to Adelaide due to Cliff’s ill health but at least this enabled them to visit Colin.

Over the next few months of hospitalisation, Shirley became a regular visitor and when part of Colin’s convalescence was spent in Penola, it was indicative that their friendship was blossoming into love. The Coonawarra Community gathered at the Soldiers’ Memorial Hall in September of 1943 to welcome Colin home following his official discharge. The President of the Vigilance Society reminded the crowd that Colin, as a lad of 18, was one of the first of the Coonawarra boys to enlist soon after war broke out, and his friends were justly proud of him. He extended everyone’s wishes that it would not be long before Colin regained his strength. In response, Colin was most appreciative of the welcome home, especially thanking the ladies of the Comforts Fund for the parcels they had sent him, which were very much appreciated, particularly in Tobruk.

Colin and Shirley married on the 10th June 1944. While much was promised for war veterans, Colin was unable to get a Soldiers’ Settlement block as he had insufficient experience. The Penola RSL actively approached the local council to support Colin’s need for a house and were quite incensed when the Council asked for ‘concrete evidence’ of the need of Colin and another returned soldier, Brian Buckingham. At that stage, Colin’s uncle was ready to retire from the farm Colin had worked on, so the young couple ambitiously took on the running of that farm.  Unfortunately, Colin’s injured leg made it too difficult to handle sheep so the young couple moved to Adelaide to live. They were able to buy a block of land where they also were able to have a war service home built, which was ready for them in December 1952.

Their joy was short-lived. In May 1953, under-arm lumps were discovered, leading to Colin being diagnosed with Hodkinson’s Disease and the prognosis that it was terminal but he could possibly have up to a 10-year life span.

Late in 1954 Colin and Shirley purchased a new Volkswagen. The following year the VW dealership wrote to all owners suggesting a VW Club be formed. This led to what was to become a long-lasting friendship with Eva and Frank Davey, fellow VW enthusiast. Frank had served in the Navy during the War. Over the next few months this group was actively involved in events, trials and various car clubs as well as holiday weekends enjoying camping and fishing at Swan Reach. These may well have also contributed to Colin’s on-going treatment and him being in remission.

The VW Club named a Memorial Trophy, the Col Rickard Memorial Trophy in honour of a remarkable man. Dale Wilson explained the background to the trophy presented to the winning rally driver. “As a measure of the strength of the personality of this man, I didn’t know until it was quite obvious to everyone that he was suffering from incurable Hodkinson’s disease and was living on borrowed time. He kept his personal problems very much to himself. To become Club Champion three times in a row in those days was quite an achievement, as Club Membership was very high and the events were contested by veritable hoards of Beatles driven by budding ‘round Australia Drivers’, all keen as mustard to do well. Colin was always indebted to his wife, Shirley who took to navigation very easily and competently. The team of Colin and Shirley Rickard was a very formidable one.” Colin and Shirley won the first Shell 300 in 1960 as well as a number of Associated Motor Clubs events. Besides competing, the two were VW Foundation Members, held meetings, coordinated events and additionally, Colin was a VW Club Delegate to early Association meetings, the first Club Captain and a renown enthusiast of the ‘54, ‘56 and ‘59 VW models.

By 1961 Colin believed his time was running out so he wanted to see a bit more of the world. The two travelled by boat to the United Kingdom where they spent about 12 months in London, travelling around in a new VW, of course! In May of 1962 they headed to the Continent to attend large motor sport events in several countries. With deteriorating health, they returned to celebrate Colin’s 42nd birthday in Australia. The next several months were spent in and out of hospital. Their close VW friend, Eva, Frank’s wife, died in July 1963. Just two months later, Colin, sadly finally succumbed to Hodkinson’s on September 13th. Shirley was totally alone, no siblings or children of her own.

This brought Frank and Shirley closer together as he helped her cope with her loss. Over the following months this widow and widower came to realise their friendship could become something lasting. Late in 1964 Shirley became a sailor’s wife. It wasn’t until sometime later that Frank revealed that Colin had asked that he look after Shirley, which he did, enabling the couple to have many more happy years together. Frank was also a life Member of the VW Club, described as the oldest and youngest Club Member at heart. Shirley and Frank became known as ‘The Toy Doctors’ repairing and renovating toys for children’s organisations. Sadly, Frank died in June 2006.

Shirley was again alone and today, aged 95 she lives at Port Elliot; still remembering all the happy years and times spent with her soldier boy and sailor boy. In her words, she “Loved them both, God Bless.”

Tribute researched and submitted by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133. Based on handwritten information and recollections provided by Shirley Rickard, aged 95.