Private Everett Mark Rickard 5906

Photograph of the tree planted on the Avenue of Honour, Ballarat, Victoria, in recognition of the service of 5906 Private Everett Mark Rickard, 22nd Battalion. This photograph is from a series of 22 images taken by Trent Parke titled WW1 Avenue of Honour.

Artist's original caption: Private Everett Mark Rickard 5906
22nd Battalion A.I.F.
Enlisted: Aged 19 years and 5 months: 15th May 1916 (Wd. & Missing. May 03/2017)
“I know that No. 5906 Pte Rickard R.M. was very badly wounded on the 3.5.17. I last saw him in a shell hole and I don’t think the stretcher bearers ever reached him. It was impossible for me to carry him out as he suffered agonizing pains when moved about. I feel certain that he could not live.”
Statement made by No. 5565 Pte Carroll E 22nd Btn.
Dated at Perham Downs this 1st day of September 1917
“I left Pte. Rickard (22 D) dying in No Man’s Land on May 3rd at Bullecourt. He begged me not to leave him. I feel certain he is dead”
Eye Witness: - He saw him badly wounded. Description:- Small, short, stout, young, more like a girl. Informant:- Pte. Edward Carroll, 5585 22 Australians, D.Coy. XIV Pltn. 3rd Southern Gen Hosp. Cowley Section, Oxford, 20.7.1917
Letter from Pte F. Hedley, D.Coy. L.G.S. 22n Battn. 19.8.17
“On 3.5.17 I was in the advance at Bullecourt and on reaching the second objective I received a wound on the abdomen. As I was crawling back to our own lines I found my friend Pte. Rickard, who was badly wounded in the back laying in the barbed wire in No Man’s Land. He could not move and looked to be sinking fast. He did not know me when I spoke to him although I have know him for nearly two years. As we had many counter attacks with artillery preparation I do not think that he would live through it.”
Statement made by No. 5954 Pte Milne H.A. 22nd Btn. Dated this 10th day of August 1917 (Sgd) H.A.Milne/ All excerpts Australian War Memorial Archives.