Dominican who served in West Indian Regiment passes on

Dominican Joseph Radcliff Richards, also known as ‘Papa’, who served in the West Indian Regiment, a Branch of the British Army, has died.

As a member of the West Indian Regiment, he was stationed in Grenada and St. Lucia. He was also deployed in Egypt, just as World War II was ending.

Papa was born to Melanie Xavier a school teacher and Shalto Richards in the nestled hills of Saint Joseph in Dominica on January 21st 1924. He was the eldest of his four sisters and three brothers. His was a very humble beginning since his father did not work except as an assistant to the local fishermen.

His mother taught him how to read and write. By the time he began school he was more advanced than his classmates but his home life was difficult. Food was always in abundance and free in the village. There was always some fruit in season and no one went hungry but clothing was scarce.

Papa entered government school in 1931 at age of seven because his father did not believe that going to school was important. Every day he left school at 11:00 am to cook lunch for himself and other siblings. He then returned at 1:00 to finish the school day. He was very bright and he finished elementary school in Standard Seven. While some of his friends went on to high school he could not because his mother could not afford it. He left school in 1938 at age fourteen.

After he left school, he did odd jobs to help care for the family. In October of 1943 he joined the West Indian Regiment which was a branch of the British army. He was stationed in Grenada and St Lucia where he received his military training. While in the army, he arranged for his mother to receive a half of his earnings. He also had a thatched roof house built for her.

Soon after his deployment to Egypt in 1946 the Second World War ended and he returned home to Dominica. After his discharge from the army, he became an active member of the Dominica Legion of Ex-servicemen. In recognition of his military service, he was awarded a job as a prison officer and several acres of government land.

He did not enjoy working at the prison, so he took a job overseeing tobacco production on Hillsborough Estate. He remained in that job for many years using his resources to advance his education by completing a correspondence course on Road Building and Maintenance from Bennet College in the UK. He enjoyed that even more working at both the local and national levels.

After returning from the Army he married his longtime elementary school sweetheart, Eulie Veronica Bully and that union was blessed with six children. The eldest and only son Erickson passed away twenty six years ago.

Papa was a very strict disciplinarian and always wanted the best in life for his daughters. Although he had a very difficult childhood Papa was determined to give his family a better life, thus the education of his children was very important to him.

He was well loved and respected in his community. He was the Chairman of the St. Joseph Village Council for more than 40 years and was the go-to- guy for all related issues. He helped to beautify the village by overseeing building codes, constructing public conveniences and building vehicle-accessible roads. All village bridges, storm drains and retaining walls bear his signature.

In recognition of his unwavering service to the residents of St. Joseph the street which runs past his home has been named after him. He was also awarded medals and plaques for meritorious service to the Commonwealth of Dominica.

Papa loved politics and was very active in local and national campaigns. As a result of his views, he was denied work by the national government. These were very hard days for the family, so he went into farming.

In 2000 he eventually migrated to the USA to join his wife and part of the family and to enjoy his senior years. As a very passionate grandfather, he savored every minute when he and his grand kids shared the same space. He was an avid reader and enjoyed telling stories and relating past experiences.

Papa loved cricket and would stay up all night whenever the West Indies team played against India, Pakistan or Australia. Whenever there were home games he would take his girls to the park to see the stars of the game.

He became ill in 2013 and was treated for a rare form of cancer at the University of Miami Sylvester Cancer Centre after which he was declared to be cancer free. He suddenly became ill on July 20th and passed away four days later on the evening of July 24th.

He leaves to mourn his wife, five daughters, one sister and a host of family and friends here and in Dominica.