Ethel Richards

1
Ethel Richards

• Veteran of World War II
• Age now 76
• Age when she served 18 (Enlisted)
• Military Branch Australia Womens Army Service
• She was stationed in Brisbane, Queensland
• She served in 1942.

2
Ethel Richards

• She started off as a ambulance driver and ended
  up as a dishwasher in the Officers Mess Hall.
• She served for 18 months.
• She got married to Bob Richards, who was also
  stationed in Brisbane.

3
Ethel Richards

• She had three main people who she ran around with
  all through the war.
• They got off 3 days each month.
• When they were off, the three of them would go
  watch a movie or find something to do around
  town.
• They were able to wear civilian clothes while on
  leave.

4
Ethel Richards

• She was able to live at home.
• This was because her home was so close to where
  she was stationed.
• Every morning she would catch the bus to the
  Officer s Mess.

5
Ethel Richards

• One of many moments she remembered was when
  General McArthur moved out of the Philippines and
  into Brisbane.
• He lived In a hotel in Brisbane with his family
  for a very short while.

6
Ethel Richards

• Another of many moments that she remembered was
  her husband moving from Brisbane to the
  Philippines.
• He was stationed there to work on damaged
  submarines that were there.
• He left on Good Friday of 1945.
• He remained there until he was discharged in
  October.

7
Ethel Richards

• Before entering the World War II, she went
  through extensive training.
• The training was located down by a big river in
  Brisbane.
• They stayed in a large building and slept on
  mattresses, which were made of straw.

8
Ethel Richards

• She stayed there for 4 weeks.
• She was then moved to automotive training.
• They stayed in tents.
• The tents held 8 people each.
• She was at automotive training for six weeks.

9
Ethel Richards

• She was then moved to the Officers Mess Hall.
• She enjoyed working in the Officers Mess Hall.
• She said that there was always something
  interesting going on while working at the
  Officers Mess Hall.

10
Ethel Richards

• One time a guy who worked in the Officers Mess
  Hall came to work drunk and got mad at the
  General and tried breaking plates in half.

11
After the War

• Ethel married Bob Richards
• She moved to Bobs hometown on the other side of
  the world to Eads, Colorado in middle of the
  United States.
• Ethel and Bob raised four children including
  Danny, Jeanne, Tom, and Janet.

12
Since her retirement

• Ethel has enjoyed the many activities of her
  grandchildren.
• Ethel was instrumental in beginning the Artists
  of the Plains Art Gallery and is a well-known
  artist in southern Colorado.
• Ethel painted the murals that are on the walls in
  the Plains Theatre in 1961.