Richard Fullford: Storied serviceman and author

Decorated career

In 1934, at the young age of 16, Fullford enlisted to become a senior cadet with the 14th Heavy Battery of the First Heavy Brigade, Australian Garrison Artillery. In 1942, he was promoted to battery Commander of Illowa Battery Port Kembla on a temporary basis. Later that year, Fullford was promoted to Major. This was followed by appointments with the RAA (Militia) Lines of Communication and command of ‘O’ Heavy Battery.

Fullford led ‘O’ Heavy Battery to Queensland for training before deploying to Port Moresby in 1943. He then served at Buna in Papua New Guinea before returning to Australia in 1944. ‘O’ Heavy Battery disbanded a year later.

After serving abroad, including in British Borneo, the UK and Germany, Major Fullford returned to Australia to take up the role of second in command of the School of Artillery at North Head Sanctuary. He enjoyed command postings with the 1st Field Regiment (1960-1961) and the School of Artillery (1962-1964), before being promoted to Colonel. Subsequently, he served as Commander, Northern Territory Command (1965-66).

Fullford rose to even greater heights in the final years of his career. In 1966, he was appointed the Director of Manning at the Army Headquarters. Six years later, he became Director Personnel Planning, a role he held until his retirement in 1973. During his seven years at the Army Headquarters, his accomplishments included introducing the National Service force, providing manpower maintenance for Australia’s forces in Vietnam, overseeing the cessation of National Service, and changing the functional command system. Despite being chained to his desk during this period, he managed to travel abroad to visit the US and British armies and made to trips to Vietnam. For his sterling service with the Army headquarters, Fullford was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1970.

An active retiree

Upon his retirement, Fullford was granted the military title of ‘Brigadier’; however, he never forgot his Gunner roots, and his coastal Gunner experience informed his first book We Stood and Wait (1994) as well as his subsequent autobiography Once a Gunner, Always a Gunner (2003).

“The ‘We Stood and Waited’ book is not an official record of the times, but the personal reminiscences of an old gunner, assisted by his equally old mates. To add some humor and humanity to what would be otherwise, a cold impersonal account of weapons, instruments, and drill procedures, Fullford included several personal anecdotes in his book, written by people who were there. Many of the anecdotes describe what one remembers most vividly – the outstanding exceptions.” - Alf Watt.

“As I cast my mind back to my days in the Sydney Defenses the image that keeps recurring is that of men and women waiting. Skills honed, procedures constantly refined, equipment in tip top condition, training at a high peak – and we waited and waited. It is a tribute to the Fire Commander, his officers and NCO’s that morale was maintained at a high level despite many hours of monotonous routines and tedium, the daily stand-tos and seemingly endless training. Yes, Sydney Fortress became a highly trained formation, ready to give a good account of itself against the types of threats it was designed to counter. Yet it was our lot to wait and wait. Day after day, month after month… We Stood and Waited” – excerpt taken from the ‘We Stood and Waited’ book by Fullford.

References:

• Information supplied from the book “We stood and Waited: Sydney’s Anti Ship Defences, 1939-1945” by R.K Fullford.
• Artillery History – Gunners.
• Artillery History Brigadier RK Fullford obituary

Article was originally published on 5 February 2023.