Sunday 29 November 2009

Thomas Richardson MBE, of 12 Squadron Bomber Command and later a Trade Unionist


Seen in Marlpool cemetery on the Notts / Derbyshire border, was a gravestone with this unusual inscription ;

"In memory of Thomas Richardson MBE who served during World War Two, Number 12 Squadron,  Bomber Command, rear gunner and flight instructor. He volunteered age 17 to fight and save his country and the world from oppression. Without the men of Bomber Command there would have been no victory and we owe them our gratitude.

He also served as a trade union representative and later as a social worker.

He fought against poverty and injustice wherever he saw it".

It would be interesting to find out more about Mr Richardson, he sounds an excellent man. Unfortunately, it does look as if it would be quite a time-consuming thing to do, and at present my spare time is severely limited. Hopefully I`ll be able to return to the subject in due course.

On the same visit, I did notice another unusual epitaph, though sadly I wasn`t able to get a picture of it. The gravestone concerned related, if memory serves, to a Mr Bas Rowley. His gravestone carried two pictures, one a drum kit, the other a picture of Mr Rowley himself, a jovial-looking individual. His epitaph was given in three memorable lines, which hopefully I can remember correctly  ; "In heaven you take your stand / Now God can form / A rock `n` roll band". I know nothing about Mr Rowley or the unknown author of this verse, but I warmed to both immediately !






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