Risked life to help others

FEW World War I soldiers were held in such high regard as the stretcher-bearers, those brave men who put their own lives at risk to return injured comrades to safety behind the lines.

Richard Ralph Sharp was one of them, born in Hobart in October 1888, the second of three sons and one daughter to the Reverend George Sharp and his wife Marianne Gimblett of Glebe St, Hobart.

He was educated at Leslie House School (now part of The Friends’ School) and in 1905 qualified for university entry but opted instead to work at the Commercial Bank before becoming an orchardist at Cygnet.

He was a Sunday School teacher in the Congregational Church and a good long distance runner.

He enlisted at Claremont in June 1915, aged 26, and signed his name as Ralph Sharp.

After spending time in England training, he went to France in June 1916, joining the 3rd Field Ambulance.

On May 7, 1917 he was on stretcher duty near Bullecourt when he was hit in the chest by shrapnel. He died the same day. His funeral was attended by many from his unit and they erected a substantial cross over the grave in his memory.

“A gallant fellow whom we expected would get the MC [Military Cross]” wrote a member of his unit. He was buried at Vaulx Australian Field Ambulance Cemetery, France.

Private Richard Ralph Sharp is remembered at tree 458 on the Soldiers’ Memorial Avenue and on honour boards at the Hobart Town Hall and Scots Memorial Uniting Church.