Every few weeks I search the net for any new information pertaining to HMS London and the 1947 - 1949 Commission. Normally there is very little but on this occasion I sadly learnt of the death of John Glaskin Richards. Association Chairman John Parker remembers "their dentist" as a gentleman at all times as well as a sympathetic dental surgeon. Below, re-produced with the kind permission of the Guy's, King's & St. Thomas's Hospitals Medical & Dental Schools Gazette, is an Obituary published in their January 2002 edition.
John joined the navy in December 1944, and in November 1947 to October 1948 was dental officer aboard HMS London during her cruises from Hong Kong to Saigon, Singapore, Borneo, and Manila, and then to China and Japan, just prior to the Yangtse incident of the following year. In 1950 he married Barbara Blomfield, daughter of Dr. Bernard Blomfield, a Sydney ear nose and throat surgeon. This marriage proved to be a wonderfully fulfilling union, providing him with many years of great happiness. In 1956-57 he was dental officer on HMS Ceylon during her involvement in the Suez crisis, the independence celebrations in Ghana, and the handing over of the Simonstown Base in South Africa. Apart from these postings at sea, he was appointed to naval bases across the south of England and from 1959 to 1961 was stationed at HMS Phoenicia in Malta. During his time in the navy he was commended in the reports of his commanding officers for his high professional competence, his administrative skills, his prowess on the hockey field, squash court and golf course, and his excellent social skills. In 1965 he took the courageous decision of resigning from an outstanding naval career, and emigrating to Australia to start a dental practice in Canberra. On arrival in Canberra, he initially accepted the job of dentist at the Royal Military College in Duntroon, and then established a successful practice at Hughes and later in Garran. John led a very contented life in Canberra: apart from the great satisfaction he derived from dentistry, his loves were bridge, gardening, golf, and reading, and fishing holidays at Tuross and later on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. Throughout his life, John was a keen sportsman. At school he played hockey, rugby, soccer, and cricket. He was awarded a Guy's Hospital blue for hockey and continued to play hockey, squash and tennis regularly during his years in the navy. After moving to Canberra, he became a keen golfer. He was still playing tennis and golf at the age of 71. In 1987, John and Barbara retired to South Rosedale on the NSW south coast to live in a pole-frame house built by their elder son, David. Not long after this, tragedy struck. Barbara was diagnosed with cancer, and died on 11th May 1990. During this heart-rending time, John showed amazing courage. Several years later, John started to feel the effects of Alzheimer's disease, which led to a gradual decline in his cognitive skills. During the last few years of his life he displayed much fortitude, and was given wonderful support by his great friend Pauline, and by David and his partner, Sue. In October 2001, he was hospitalised with a broken hip, and died on November the 17th from complications of the operation. John will be fondly remembered by his family, and his wonderful friends, for his great common sense, his charming personality, his sense of humour, and his deep interest in people and current affairs. He was a man of high standards, which he applied to everything from the well-being of his patients, and his skill on the playing fields, to his ethics, appearance, speech, and manners. John is survived by his sons, David and Nigel, and his granddaughters, Rebecca, Elizabeth, Emilia and Katie. Nigel Richards. |