William John (Jeep) Richardson

The death of William John (Jeep) Richardson, last Saturday, brought to an end the life of one of Birchip’s heroes of the Second World War.

Born in Birchip, Jack was educated at the Convent of Mercy and H.E.S. and, after being a member of the first Militia unit formed in 1939, he joined the A.I.F. in June 1940 and sailed for the Middle East in December of that year.

When Crete was overwhelmed by the enemy, the 2/3 Regiment, to which Jack was attached, evacuated the island, but the ship he was on was struck by a bomb.

After being in the water for six hours, he was picked up in the Mediterranean by an Italian destroyer and taken prisoner of war.

For many months he was posted missing, before word was received in Australia that he was in a P.O.W. camp in Italy.

….rejoicing when it was learned that Jack had escaped into Switzerland, eventually returning to Australia, where he was finally discharged.

Good at all sport, Jack played football with the Birchip senior side while still a schoolboy. He also played tennis and cricket and was an accomplished trap shooter.

After Requiem Mass at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, September 5, his funeral left St Mary’s Church for the Birchip cemetery, where an RSL service was conducted by the Presi- [the remainder of the article is cut off]