‘Ride to Glory : Australia’s Greatest Adventurer and his Feats’

The most incredible true story never to have been made into a film. Imagine : the vast expanses of Australia, its goldfields and indigenous people; the velds of South Africa; a medal presented by the King; the

precious metals of South America; the heroism and carnage of WWI; the splendour of the UK; and the pathos of a veteran fighting his demons

A Story with roots in Western Australia, one which encompasses the whole country’s rise to nationhood; and one

which resonates today.Who Was This Man?

Arthur (Artie) Richardson was born to English parents in Brazil in 1872. His father was a doctor at the British Hospital at Recif (Pernambuco), where his mother also worked. Soon after, they were back in England. With his father’s interest piqued in tropical medicine, the Richardsons moved to Townsville in 1880, quickly followed by a five year stint in NZ. Regular discoveries of gold in South Australia and the prosperity that went with it, saw the family, now including nine children, pack up again.

The next decade involved homes and medical practices in numerous locations, including the Teetulpa goldfields and Adelaide itself. The expanding West Australian gold field was the catalyst for their final move, settling in Kalgoorlie in 1896.

Dr Richardson was nominated for Mayor on a number of occasions, however, declined because of his commitment to his patients

House & Surgery, Hannan Street, Kalgoorlie

The New Ship of the Desert (as the Bicycle was Called)

Artie’s time in Adelaide was always busy; studying mechanical engineering, attending the School of Mines; working with the State Railways, and training for three years with the South Australian militia (Adelaide Rifles). Aged 21 and impatient to explore new places, he set off for Coolgardie when gold was discovered in 1893, being among the first hundred to arrive. With much to interest an adventurous lad, he soon became an experienced prospector … someone who knew how to find water and live off the land. A wiry bloke, 178cm tall and 64kg.

Bikes were a common mode of transport around the goldfields and he bought his first ‘machine’ in 1896. Three weeks later, he declared his intent to become the first person to

cycle across the Nullarbor Desert from Coolgardie to Adelaide (over 2,000 km). Leaving on 24 November 1897, he arrived in Adelaide in time to visit his sister for Christmas. It was only a ‘holiday trip’ he said, but it included: a stretch of 350 km without seeing another person; over 160 km of pushing his bike through unrideable sand; times in which he felt that it was over ‘1000 [degrees] in the shade’; and numerous mechanical breakdowns and punctures. He was 24. ‘Plucky’ was a word often used to described him.

The Remarkable Ride: First Around Australia

Artie might not have immediately admitted it, but the successful Nullarbor ride had sparked the germ of an idea: “Since that time, I have had in my mind the project of riding around Australia on the wheel”.

Such a project required capital and this need was partly met by the Richardson Bros Cycle Mechanics business in Kalgoorlie. The shop’s sign advertised: ‘Accessories, Repairs, and Highest Grade Workmanship’.   Artie’s engineering skills no doubt contributed to the success of this venture.

Richardson Bros Cycle Mechanics Etc.

The need for further backing was also recognised: ‘In addition [to a yearning to see the country] monetary consideration and offers made me should I succeed in getting round, were a further consideration’. Percy Armstrong, owner of Armstrong’s Cycle Agency in Perth, was one of those who sponsored Artie. Amongst other things, he organised spare parts (sometimes sending them on ahead by ship) and assisted with syndication of the story. Artie, for his part, ‘wired’ reports to the West Australian newspaper as often as he could.

The Overlander was farewelled from Perth on his Humber bike on 5 June 1899 … his saddle bags loaded with 11kg of food, water and spares (as well as a pistol, and, for part of the way, a camera). He headed north. The excitement generated by his ride was increased when it became a race. Frank and Alec White and Donald MacKay set off from Brisbane to attempt the feat in a clockwise direction. Richardson was not only acclaimed because he won, but also because he did it alone.

The cyclist was feted as he passed through cities and towns en-route. It was no surprise when the Mayor and leading citizens of Perth turned out to greet him when he returned on 4 February 1900.

He had travelled 18,500 km in 243 days and four hours. Memorable moments included: a month of torrential rain and swollen rivers; pushing and carrying his bicycle through otherwise impassable sand and mud in temperatures above 40 degrees; being helped by friendly aborigines and fighting off hostile ones; rescuing a near-dead man whose horses had got away; nights listening to dingoes howling; meeting the Durack family on Argyle Downs station; and pushing on, though half-demented at times.

Artie ended as he had started, a tribute to his daring and ‘pluck’: I had a rather bad time of it, but I finished … full of go and could do it again straight off if necessary’.

Utterly fearless, a thorough bushman and a perfect gentleman”.

The Boer War: Dispatch Rider

At the civic reception given for him in Perth, Artie announced that he was off to the Boer War. This was not an ‘off the cuff’ decision, but one made during the ride. A letter written from Adelaide on 9 January 1900, suggests that he had plans which involved taking a bike to South Africa.

It turns out that he wanted to be part of a possible cycle dispatch unit. The idea of using cycles in such roles was subsequently vetoed by the Army, however, he was allowed to take the new Dunlop tyred Humber bike that had been presented to him. It was specially treated so that it did not reflect light and attract the attention of the enemy. (Australian cyclist units were subsequently formed during the First World War.)

Acting Corporal Richardson was at the Karrakatta Camp being exercised in mounted drill when a dog sprang at his horse, causing it to rear up. Artie was thrown and broke his arm. Having recognised the makings of an excellent soldier, the Contingent Commander was determined to take him with them; hoping that the break would have mended by the time they were in the field.

The Third (Bushmen) Contingent left Fremantle on 14 March 1900 and arrived in South Africa on 12 April 1900. Disease, which was rife at the time, soon wreaked havoc among them. It was another fall from a horse, however, which brought Artie undone. His arm was broken for a second time, proving that he was not invincible.

The letter mentioned above (9 January 1900) was from the Adelaide Advertiser, Chronicle and Express to Mr William Lambie, Boer War correspondent for The Age. In providing a reference for Artie, it was high praise to state that “Cecil Rhodes is not the only man who has visions”. Sadly, Lambie was killed before Artie arrived.

Writing to his mother from Mafeking, Artie stated that he had been promoted to Sergeant Major and appointed to the HQ staff of General Carrington’s Rhodesian Field Force. He explained that his duties involved dispatch riding and that “his was the only machine [bike] to come through all their recent actions, the other machines belonging to his forces having been abandoned whilst in action.”.

The employment of bikes in this way is not a surprise. The British Army had developed their use to good effect: ‘The main duty of the cyclist corps was despatch-riding, but they were used for a variety of different tasks as the need arose. Cyclists would often ride ahead to act as a link between the cavalry and infantry … even during an assault, it was usual to find a cyclist or two with the leading ranks ready to carry messages.’ South African units such as the Rand Rifles also made good use of cyclists

Members of the Rand Rifles Pose with Their ‘Machines’. http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol041dm.html

The tide of battle was not always favourable, however. At Zeerust (Siege of Elands River), Artie wrote that: “the garrison joined us after burning £30,000 worth of stores, for which we could not secure transport. The retreat from here put me in mind of a new rush on a gold field, only it was a bit bigger.” (Interestingly, both Baden Powell and Conan Doyle were involved in the siege in different ways.)

Artie was not to return with his bike to Perth. In November 1900, he was invalided to England with pneumonia. (Measles, typhoid and dysentery were also rife among the military contingents.)

Recuperation in England and a Glittering Ceremony

The arrangements for looking after the ‘colonials’ incapacitated in South Africa seem to have worked well. Sergeant Major Richardson kept in regular touch with the Office of the Agent General for Western Australia. With his illness being serious enough to warrant him being evacuated, it was unlikely he would return to the War … and so it was. Following his release from hospital, Artie enjoyed the hospitality of Sir Alfred Mosely, a wealthy South Africa diamond miner and confident of Cecil Rhodes. Mosely was sympathetic to the growing number of Boer War casualties and used his own money to establish a field hospital near Durban.

How Artie first met Mosely is uncertain. It could have happened in South Africa when Mosely was setting up his hospital. It could have been through Sir Alfred’s son, a doctor who helped provide medical support to the war effort in South Africa. It might also have had something to do with the effort Artie had invested in promoting his endeavours. Even in South Africa, he maintained the ties he had earlier established with Australian newspapers and his influential sponsors: “I have had the Humber bike under fire in some pretty warm places. It is the same in every particular as the bike I rode round Australia and is standing

the rough country splendidly. The tires, which are Dunlop roadsters, made in Western Australia, are the envy of all the other cyclists about here”. Sir Alfred, no doubt, saw in Artie a person whose abilities deserved his patronage.

As an unattached Boer war veteran and cycling legend, Artie had another entrée to London society … his mother’s family connections. His cousin was no less than the Chief Accountant at the Bank of England, someone whose signature appeared on British banknotes of the time.

On 25 June 1901, Sergeant Major Arthur Richardson was invited, along with other Boer War veterans, to a medal presentation at Marlborough House (King Edward VII’s home before moving to Buckingham Palace). Artie became one of the few Australians to be presented with the Queen’s South African Medal by the King (the King’s South African Medal had not yet been minted, following Queen Victoria’s death).

Presentation of South African Medals by the King

https://angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-awards/8486-presentations-of-medals-by-king-edward-vii-june-and-july-1901

Soon after, Artie received a response from the Bristol Daily Press saying that they were keen to publish his “striking and truly interesting articles” about his ride around Australia. (There may be no connection at all, but Sir Arthur Mosely was born in Bristol.)

The Lure of Exotic Places and Mining Riches.

In 1902, Sir Alfred’s stature as a mining magnate, saw him lead a UK trade mission to the USA. Britain’s dominance in mining was under threat and Artie would have had considerable insight into international mining opportunities. Before he could decide on his next venture, however, he received an offer from Mr Bennet Burleigh.

As a British war correspondent, Burleigh had reported on most of the wars at the end of the 19th century, including the Boer War. Artie’s links with the press, combined with a similar adventurous spirit would have undoubtedly brought them together at some stage.

In 1902, the Anglo-Somali War was in its early days. The security of British interests in Egypt was threatened and The London Daily Telegraph’s most experienced war

correspondent was Bennet Burleigh. When he was tasked to cover it, he asked Artie to accompany him. Having such a dependable dispatch rider at his side, would have been a real bonus. Not only that, his companion was more than 30 years younger, fit and resourceful.

Artie’s time in Africa outlasted that of Burleigh, whose next assignment was to report on the Russo-Japanese War. Mining potential had raised the former prospector’s interest, possibly encouraged by Sir Alfred. West Africa seemingly had the right geological conditions, it just needed someone to prove it. What better person to head up a two-year expedition, than Arthur Richardson; reliable, fearless and a proven leader. (Major investment in the West African diamond industry would be made soon after the First World War.)

Another place that had all the potential to find diamonds was the Horn of Africa. Artie’s previous experience there would have helped him avoid the pitfalls in starting up a mining venture. It is unlikely that this was successful, however, as questions are asked even today as to why diamonds are not found in Somaliland.

One of the other mining hotspots at this time was South America. (One wonders whether or not Artie was still being advised by Sir Alfred Mosley.) Possibly the time had come to leave diamonds and move into the realm of precious metals. Chile’s gold had been exploited by the early Spaniards, but more recently world demand had turned to silver. Relocating was quite a turn-around, given that Artie was born in Brazil.

Artie Developing His Prospect, South of Cape Horn,

Unfortunately, he came down with a bad fever during a mining venture on isolated island in the extreme south of South America, off Patagonia.

Less adventurous employment was now called for and he undertook the task of managing a gold mine on the mainland (of Chile). This is hardly surprising, given the toll that years of hardship and ‘going without’ must have taken on his body. Back in ‘civilisation’, which included a strong British presence, provided opportunity for romance to bloom. In 1913, Artie Richardson and Gwen Bedwell were married at the British Consulate at Valparaiso. Their son, Herbert Richardson, was born the following year.

Artie’s Wedding, Chile, 1913

It had been a busy decade since heading off on an adventure with Bennet Burleigh. (Errol Flynn would have been hard pressed to find a better role model.)

The First World War: Vimy Ridge and Tunnels

Was it simply Artie’s patriotic spirit, or was he finding married life a little more challenging than he had expected? He had fought in one war and had revelled in the opportunities for adventure that it offered. Maybe … whatever the reason, he took passage on a ship to England, arriving in July 1916.

Thinking that 44 might have been seen as too old, Artie put down his age and applied to join the British Army. He was quickly commissioned as a temporary second lieutenant in the Royal Engineers (having been passed fit and receiving favourable ‘references’). Given his engineering background, his Corps allocation was to be expected. His particular skills were to be further harnessed, however.

In October 1916, he arrived in France … posted to 176th Tunnelling Company, a unit tasked with both tunnelling towards the enemy lines to provide concealed approaches for attacking troops and tunnelling under enemy lines to set explosive charges. (Unsurprisingly, Artie’s unit was nicknamed the ‘Moles’.) Someone with experience in shoring and cutting mine shafts in the goldfields of WA, could not have been more usefully employed.

3rd Australian Tunnelling Company

( http://www.tunnellersmemorial.com/tunnelling-companies/tcgw_16/)

On 7 April 1917, Lieutenant Richardson applied for home leave to deal with “urgent private affairs”. This might well have been to do with a threat of impending divorce, something he wanted to rectify if he could. There was no time for his application to be considered, however, Artie’s unit was supporting the Canadian Corps at the time and the Battle for Vimy Ridge was due to commence in two days. How different things might have been if his leave had been granted.

The explosion of an enemy artillery shell on 10 April left him with severe wounds. Artie was returned to England, via the evacuation hospital at Rouen, three weeks later. As well as fractured ribs and internal damage, he suffered badly from the effects of blast (the significance of which, is only now being fully appreciated).

Between the Wars: Love Lost and Found

On-going medical problems prevented Lieutenant Richardson returning to active duty. He would have been disappointed, having been granted three weeks on 21 May 1917 by a medical board at the Queen Alexandra Military Hospital. He subsequently filled a number of appointments, including one at the Royal Engineers’ depot at Chatham and another at the School of Military Engineering. A promotion to acting captain came on 24 April 1918. (Artie’s notification of his medal entitlements at this time was addressed to the Mining and Metallurgical Club, London.)

As time passed, Artie continued to have trouble with his abdomen. He also became partially deaf, had trouble with his eyesight and suffered lung problems. His cousin, John Walker (above) remembers a story from this time. Artie was sitting on a train on the underground, feeling and looking terrible, when a woman started ticking him off for not giving up his seat. He said “That’s right ‘mam; the next station is Baker Street”. This defused the situation and she went off puzzled. The expression became something of a family tradition for selective deafness.

Relinquishing his commission on 30 August 1921, Arie sought repatriation to Chile. Unfortunately, his application was deferred --- he wasn’t fit enough to be vaccinated. With

funds running low, he must have been at a complete loss. Somehow, however, he managed to raise the funds for passage on the ship ‘Oronsa’, leaving in December 1922. The prospect of seeing his son, now eight, after six years absence must have been a great spur to the voyage. Sadly, Artie’s marriage to Gwen was irretrievable and they divorced. He returned to London, a place where he was not without friends.

One of these was likely to have been Claude de Bernales, a ‘Western Australian mining entrepreneur whose business activities and marketing did much to stimulate investment in Western Australia during the early years of the twentieth century’. Close in age, it is likely that he and Artie had met in Coolgardie in 1897. In London in 1926, Claude was raising funds to develop leases at Wiluna on the WA goldfields. Artie could well have been involved in this endeavour.

In July 1934 he married Rita Betsy Elliott-Druiff, nee Mosely, a widow. He was aged 62 and she was 49. Her brother Dr Frederick Mosely was likely to have known Artie from the Boer War. Although Sir Alfred Mosely had died in 1917, Artie would undoubtedly have maintained a close connection with the family.

The End: PTSD (Then, as it is Now)

Mr and Mrs Arthur Richardson moved to Troutsdale Lodge, near Hackness in Yorkshire. Rita owned the bungalow, as well as some other properties in the district. Sadly, the union was not to be a happy one.

Artie’s wounds from Vimy Ridge rose to the surface during this time. His brother-in-law, observed that “he was liable to get into a violent temper for very little cause”. He had “seen him in brainstorms when little things annoyed him”.

Less than five years after his marriage, Artie shot and killed his wife and then committed suicide. The coroner’s verdict recorded that “there was insufficient evidence to show the state of Richardson’s mind at the time”. It might have been that the looming onset of the Second World War was something too much to bear. Then again, possibly Artie felt a need to protect his Jewish wife from the threats being made by Germany … which might have seemed all too feasible.

Production (Cost) Notes.

1. The Richardson family house still stands in Kalgoorlie, just as it was in Artie’s day.

2. One would expect that there will be many volunteers and much support for a re-enactment of the ride around Australia.

The route through much of which is still the ‘Outback’ will hardly have changed since, providing magnificent vistas of a wide-open country where the loneliness of the long-run cyclist can be pondered.

Various cycling historical societies have equipment that might readily be modified for props.

3. The story of Artie’s ride around Australia has recently been described in detail in the Tour de Oz by Brett Harris https://www.harpercollins.com.au/9781460751770/

4. The film Hill 60 documents the experience of the tunnelling companies in WWI. Furthermore, the Vimy Ridge attack is well documented, as are Artie’s service records.

5. Sovereign Hill and other historical sites provide good film locations to represent the Australian mining elements.

6. The South African and Chilean Film Corporations could well contribute to costs.

7. Artie’s Army postings, medical treatment etc following WWI are well documented by official records.

8. It is noted that many historical dramas are viable because they utilise few scenes and capitalise on the cinematography able to exploit these limited images. The ‘Ride to Glory’, however, is as much expansive in its story, as it is in its backdrop. Is the Australian/international film/TV industry able to capitalise on this?

9. Recent research by members is at http://www.circumcycle.com/