Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

RUTHERFORD Stamford Roy

Stamford was the son of Thomas Bell RUTHERFORD & Elizabeth Lilias Townley LATIMER and was born on the 6th of April 1888 in Brampton, Cumberland.

He was baptised on the 16th of May 1888 in Brampton, Cumberland

He was the second child born into the family of 5 children.

His parents were married on the 28th of April 1884 in Brampton.

His mother was the daughter of William LATIMER & Elizabeth HOLMES and was born in 1856 in Brampton.

His father was the son of James RUTHERFORD & Ann BELL and was born in 1865 in Carlisle. Cumberland.

The family lived in the Main Street at St Bee’s and his father was a solicitor. By 1901 they had moved to 64 Wisham Street, Battersea.

He gained a diploma in Agriculture from an English farm school.

By 1911 Stamford was living with his brother; Cyril Townley in Shaw Brow, Brampton. His brother was a 2nd Lieutenant in the Army and Stamford was a Law Student.

By 1913 Stamford had moved to 118 Drakefield Road, Wandsworth and was living in a one roomed furnished home, owned by his father.

He passed his law exams but the First World War interrupted his career

Stamford joined the South Staffordshire Regiment in 1914. He was firstly with the H.A.C (Honourable Artillery Company) and then commissioned into the 3rd Battalion at Lichfield.

He was transferred to the 1/6th Battalion stationed at Wolverhampton and disembarked at Le Havre, France on the 3rd of March 1915. The unit became the 137th Brigade of the 46th Division and engaged in various actions on the Western Front

He was a platoon commander, intelligence officer and a scouting and sniper officer. He became the company commander.

He was demobolised in 1920.

He married Laura May CALDER in September 1918 in Langport, Somerset, England.

Laura was the daughter of William Cattle CALDER & Clara Maria VICK and was baptised on the 15th of July 1883 in Langport, Somerset.

Laura had served with the British Red Cross Society & Order of St John in Egypt as a nurse for 14 months.

Their first child; Bernard Rinian Roy, was born on the 22nd of August 1919 in Wolverhampton.

Their second child was born in 1920, but sadly he died as an infant.

Their third child; Ian Townley, was born on the 9th of February 1921, followed by Thomas Alan on the 3rd of August 1922. 

They lived at Shaw Brow, Kaworth, Cumberland.

On the 1st of December 1923 the family departed Liverpool on board the “Medic” for Albany, Western Australia, arriving on the 10th of January 1924.

Not long after arriving in Albany, they moved to Kerang, VIC and Stamford was a farmer, they named their property “Shaw Brow”.

By 1928 they had moved to 43 Colin Street, West Perth and Stamford was listed as a solicitor.

By 1931 the family at 5 Victoria Street, South Perth and his father was a clerk.

In 1933 Stamford purchased a large garage and motor repair shop at 147 Adelaide Terrace, Perth.

On the 3rd of September 1940 Stamford gained a divorce from Laura and he moved to 1298 Hay Street, West Perth.

His son Bernard enlisted into the RAAF on the 6th of January 1941 in Perth and was allotted the service number 406540.

His son, Thomas enlisted into the RAAF on the 3rd of February 1941 in Perth and was allotted the service number 406626.

Both these two sons attended the same flying courses and both embarked for the UK together on the on the 17th of November 1941, arriving in the UK on the 17th of February 1942. They were separated to different Operational Training Units on the 9th of March 1942.

Stamford remarried to Constance Mabel PEARSE on the 1st of December 1941.

Constance was the daughter of Frederick PEARSE & Gertrude Caroline Octavia DAVIS and was born on the 15th of January 1890 in Roebourne, WA.

They had moved to 137 Roberts Road, Subiaco by 1942.

In early 1942 Stamford sold his garage and motor repair shop business.

He enjoyed playing cricket and tennis.

On the 19th of May 1942, Stamford received the sad news that his son Bernard was killed while flying solo in an accident at Burton Fleming, East Yorkshire in Airspeed Oxford aircraft L9647.

He was flying in tail numbering formation with Oxford R6358 when a collision occurred. The wing of the other aircraft struck the tail of his aircraft, which caused this aircraft to dive into ground at 10.30hrs near Pear Tree Farm, Burton Fleming. The other aircraft managed to land safely. He was 23 years old.

At the age of 54, Stamford enlisted into the RAAF on the 13th of July 1942 in Melbourne, VIC and allotted the service number 296635. He listed his wife; Constance as his next of kin. At the time of his enlistment he was a Garage Proprietor.

The birth date he listed on his enlistment papers is incorrect.

He was posted to the No. 1 ITS (Initial Training School) in Somers, VIC on the 7th of December 1942.

His son; Ian joined the RAAF Reserves in August 1942.

Sadly, his son Thomas was killed whilst flying solo during night flying practice.

On the 14th of August 1942 flying Blenheim BA192 with No. 54 OTU at 0130 hours, Thomas struck a tree near the aerodrome causing it to crash to the ground 2 miles south of RAF Charterhall near Duns in Berwickshire. He was just 20 years old.

His son; Ian enlisted into the RAAF on the 16th of November 1942 and was allocated the service number 72805.

On the 4th of September 1944 Stamford was posted to RAAF Station Pearce, WA.

Stamford was discharged on the 10th of July 1945. He was a Flight Lieutenant.

By 1949 Stamford had retired and they lived at 78 Roseberry Street, Bayswater, moving to 5 Richardson Avenue, Claremont by 1963.

Stamford died on the 13th of July 1964 and is buried in the Karrakatta Cemetery; Presbyterian, Section DC, Plot 0362

Constance died on the 8th of July 1973 in Claremont and is buried with Stamford.