Richard Garlick’s life was dominated by soccer and soldiering. Speaking in 1936 on his departure from Warwick, Warrant Officer Garlick spoke about how he had loved soccer since childhood. He stated he helped establish the code in Townsville in 1913 and played and refereed after the war. Garlick had been working in Warwick as an officer of the Australian Instructional Corps. His send-off, reported in the Warwick Daily News on 22 October 1936, was attended by members of the local soccer, veteran and military communities. Newspaper reports back up his claims. Garlick was first seen playing soccer for Townville Y.M.C.A in 1912. It appears he moved to Brisbane by late 1913, where he played for Toowong, later switching to Brisbane City in 1915.
Garlick enlisted in July 1915 and was assigned to the 15th Battalion. He quickly rose through the ranks, to Lance Corporal in early 1916, and was later promoted to Sergeant in the field after the existing sergeant went missing. Garlick suffered from trench fever in mid-1917 and was evacuated to England where he was transferred to the School of Musketry in Tidworth. Here he qualified to train soldiers with the Lewis Gun and spent the next few months instructing soldiers. It was in a training capacity that Garlick returned to France in early 1918. He served until October when he was recalled to England to teach at the School of Instruction in Hurdcott, Salisbury.
Garlick married Lilian Boon in early 1919. The couple, and Boon’s young daughter, travelled to Australia in mid-1919, where Garlick was formally discharged. Garlick returned to soccer within a week of his discharge, this time with Brisbane club Merthyr Thistle.
He was first seen refereeing in 1920. The same year, while refereeing a game between Queen’s Park and Wallaroos, he was assaulted by a player. Garlick continued to play and was selected for the Brisbane representative side in 1921. In 1922 he became the secretary of the Toowong club.
This was the last Garlick was seen in relationship with soccer for several years, a period which coincided with the birth of three children and the death of his stepdaughter in 1930 while the family was living in Ipswich. Garlick continued to work as a military instructor, eventually being transferred to Warwick in the mid-1930s where he played for the local side while in his 40s. He was later transferred to Townsville, where he passed away in 1968.