Colonel Percy Ricardo Print Page

The brass plaque erected by the Officers, NCOs and men of the Commonwealth Military Forces of Western Australia, commemorates Colonel Percy Ralph Ricardo who served in the Souyth African (Boer) War.  He was the first Commandant of the Commonwealth Military Forces of Western Australia. Colonel Ricardo died in an accident in 1907 at the age of 52.

The voluntary church parade of the metropolitan troops and cadets, which, was held on Sunday, was largely attended. The official figures supplied of those present being 40 officers and 489 men. The muster included representatives from No. I Squadron 18th A.L.H., No. 1 Battery A.F.A., No. 2 Company of Garrison Artillery, the 11th Australian Infantry Regiment, W.A. Infantry Regiment, Australian Army Medical Corps, Australian Army Service Corps, and Corps-of Signallers. The parade was especially called in connection with the unveiling of memorials to the late Colonel Ricardo, C.B., late Commandant of Western Australia, and the late Lieutenant A. A. Forrest, in St. George's Cathedral.

Bishop Riley who conducted the service said they wanted to honour the brave, and those who did their duty, and that morning they were thinking of two soldiers who fought in Africa. One, the late Colonel Ricardo, came home, and was afterwards killed by an accident. Colonel Ricardo was a soldier and a gentleman, and nothing higher in his praise could be said than that. He was a man whose life inspired them to do their duty. Continuing, Bishop Riley said he would ask the Lieutenant-Governor, Sir Edward Stone, to unveil the memorial brass to the late Colonel Ricardo, and Sir John Forrest, who was Minister for Defence at the time of the war, to unveil the memorial to the late Lieutenant Forrest.
Western Mail (Perth), 7th March 1908.

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