Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Born 21 July 1884 in Uraidla, South Australia
(SA Birth records 1842 - 1906 Book: 333 Page: 385 District: Nor.)

Father  Herbert Daniel RAGGATT  (b. 30/10/1857 in The Swamp, South Australia);
   his parents  Thomas Raggatt and his mother  Anne Sophia Stephens; and
Mother Alice Gertrude (nee CONNOLLY).

Father remarried to Step Mother Myrtle May Raggatt (nee Robinson)
living at Echunga, South Australia.

25/7/1920 Mother stated father had been an invalid for past 12 years,
                living with his second wife.

Wife:       Nellie Annie Florence Raggatt (nee Chappell)

Children:  Herbert Walter Raggatt
               Silvia Catherine Raggatt

RAGGATT, Herbert Arthur

Service Number:5437

Enlisted: 9 June 1915, Keswick, South Australia

Last Rank: Driver

Last Unit: 1st Divisional Ammunition Column

Born: Mount Gambier, South Australia, 21 July 1884

Home Town: Norwood, South Australia

Occupation: Baker

Died: Natural Causes, Adelaide, South Australia, 22 February 1964, aged 79 years

Cemetery: AIF Cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide

Section: KO, Road: 21A, Site No: 40

Memorials: EchungaM*

Place of Enlistment: Keswick, South Australia

Next of Kin: Wife, Nellie Annie Raggatt, Brother, Frederick Joseph Raggatt

Embarked: HMAT from Melbourne A70 “Ballarat” (9/9/1915)

Family: (At time of departure for War) Wife: Nellie Annie Florence Raggatt

Children: Herbert Walter Raggatt

                   Silvia Catherine Raggatt

Parents: Herbert Daniel Raggatt

                   Alice Gertrude Raggatt

Illnesses: Chronic Valvular Heart Disease, then his time in the war was over

Enlisted: In A.I.F. (Australian Imperial Force) on 14th June, 1915

Embarked from War: Declared and diagnosed ‘medically unfit for War” and sent home back to Australia from Suez, on ‘Borda’ on 15th November, 1915

Medals:
1914-15 Star (2305); British War medal (5887); Victory medal (5828)

Herbert Arthur Raggatt

Herbert Arthur Raggatt (Service Number: 5437) was born on the 21st July, 1884, in Mount Gambier, South Australia, to Herbert Daniel Raggatt and Alice Gertrude Raggatt. Although he was born in Mount Gambier, he spent his early childhood and his time before enlisting in the war in Norwood, South Australia. World War I played an important role in the lives of many people and their families, when it started in 1914. The Australian people, as they had been many years’ prior, had a great sense of patriotism, and a strong desire to love and protect their home soil, as well as their Mother Country. That is why, as soon as the news of World War I was announced, many Australian men and boys - as young as teenagers – enlisted to serve in the Great War. Herbert Arthur Raggatt enlisted in World War I on 9th June, 1915, at the age of 31, in Keswick, Adelaide, South Australia.

At the time of his enlistment, Raggatt was exactly 29 years and 11 months old, and was 5 feet, 5½ inches in height. He weighed 129 lbs, and his Chest measurement was 31½ - 36 inches. His complexion was described as fair, with blue eyes and brown hair. One of his distinctive remarks was a tattoo on his forearm. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic.

Being 31 years old, Raggatt was one of the older soldiers to serve in the war, as most soldiers were either teenagers or in their early to mid twenties. Before enlisting, Raggatt worked as a Baker in Norwood. He also was married to Nellie Annie Florence Raggatt, and they were the parents of two children named Herbert Walter Raggatt, and Silvia Catherine Raggatt. His Next of Kin were his wife, Nellie, and his brother Frederick Joseph Raggatt, who also served in the War, specifically at Gallipoli, where he died in action.

Herbert Arthur Raggatt left to go to fight for his country in the War on the 9th September, 1915, from Melbourne, on the HMAT A70 ‘Ballarat’. His role in the war was a Driver, which was his Last Rank, and his Last Unit was the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column. Drivers were very important figures in World War I, although their position is more commonly known today, as a ‘Private’. The main role of the Drivers was to drive the horses, pulling the weapons – generally guns, at the time – and was a term that was only really used and referred to in World War I, as after the War was over, the rank of the men who were known as the Drivers was changed to ‘Gunners’.

More than 60,000 Australian Soldiers were killed in the First World War, and approximately 165,000 men were either gassed, taken as prisoners, or wounded, out of a total of 416,809 men who had enlisted. Herbert Arthur Raggatt was not one of those men, who were killed, wounded, gassed or taken as a prisoner. He survived World War I, although was sent back home to Australia early, because he had been declared ‘Medically Unfit for War’. After being examined during the War, it was discovered that he had developed a condition called ‘Chronic Valvular Heart Disease’, and therefore, departed for Australia on 15th November, 1915, from Suez in Egypt, on a ship called ‘Borda’.

The ANZAC Spirit was a trait that many believe that all ANZAC’s possessed. The so-called ‘legend’ is known today, and it basically means that all of the Australian and New Zealand soldiers were faithful to their countries and to their fellow soldiers and friends, who were sharing them same experiences as they were. Herbert Arthur Raggatt reflected the ANZAZ Spirit by maintaining his loyalty to his country and serving his country, just like the majority of the men of his time. The medals he was given were the 1914-15 Star (2305), the British War Medal (5887), and the Victory medal (5828).

Raggatt lived out the remainder of his life in Norwood, South Australia, where he grew up, ever since he was a young boy. He passed away in Adelaide, South Australia, on 22nd February, 1964, of natural causes. He was 79 years old. He was buried at the AIF – Australian Imperial Force – Cemetery, in West Terrace, Adelaide (Section KO, Road: 21A, Site No: 40).