Ralph Vincent BROUGH

BROUGH, Ralph Vincent

Service Numbers: 54836, 54636
Enlisted: 9 May 1918
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 1st to 15th (NSW) Reinforcements
Born: Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, England, January 1889
Home Town: Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Farmer
Died: Broncho Pneumonia, County Mental Hospital, Cheddleton, Leek, Staffordshire, United Kingdom, 10 June 1920
Cemetery: Keele (St. John the Baptist) Churchyard, Staffordshire, England
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Boorowa War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

9 May 1918: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 54836, 1st to 15th (NSW) Reinforcements
19 Jun 1918: Involvement Private, 54836, 1st to 15th (NSW) Reinforcements, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '20' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: SS Field Marshal embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
19 Jun 1918: Embarked Private, 54836, 1st to 15th (NSW) Reinforcements, SS Field Marshal, Sydney
10 Jun 1920: Involvement Private, 54636, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 54636 awm_unit: Australian Reinforcement awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1920-06-10

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Biography contributed by Evan Evans

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland

Died on this date – 10th June....Private Ralph Vincent Brough was born in Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire, England around 1889/1890.

Ralph Brough, Farmer, aged 19, was listed as a passenger on Geelong which had departed from the port of London on 2nd March, 1909 bound for Sydney, Australia.

Ralph Brough enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 9th May, 1918 as a 29 year old, single, Farmer.

Private Ralph Vincent Brough embarked from Sydney on SS Field Marshal on 19th June, 1918. He was admitted to the Ships’ Hospital – (Mental) on 21st August, 1918. The Ship arrived in England on 26th August, 1918.

Private Ralph Vincent Brough was admitted to Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich (Mental) on 26th August, 1918.

Robert Poole, Florence Villa, Boorowa, NSW wrote to Base Records on 2nd April, 1919 enquiring into the state of health of Private R. V. Brough – “…. I have heard from a friend of his who went with him that he went out of his mind a week before he landed England. I would be pleased if you could give me his state of health & where he is as I am a partner of his & Attorney. I have never heard from him since he left so I would be very much obliged if you could enlighten me on the matter.”

Base Records replied to Robert Poole on 9th April: “in a recent cabled message to hand it is reported that No. 54636, Private R. V. Brough, 8th (NSW) General Service Reinforcements, who had been admitted to Royal Herbert Hospital, Woolwich, England, on 26/8/18 and transferred to Lord Derby War Hospital, Warrington, England on 21/9/18, suffering from mental trouble, was on 15/3/19 seriously ill. It is anticipated that a progress report will be received shortly and when to hand you will be communicated with, your address having been placed on the records.”

Mr Robert Poole was given regular updates in April, June, August & October 1919.

A Medical Report was completed on Private Ralph Vincent Brough at the Lord Derby War Hospital, Warrington, England on 21st January, 1920 & it was found that he had Dementia Praecox. “He has to be washed & dressed etc. Speaks only in monosyllables. Catatonic.” The treatment recommended was for an Asylum. It was also recommended that Private Brough be discharged as permanently unfit for War Service, Home Service or light duty.

Private Ralph Vincent Brough died on 10th June, 1920 at Staffordshire Asylum, Cheddleton (also referred to in Service Record of Ralph Brough as County Mental Hospital, Cheddleton, Leek, Staffordshire) from Broncho Pneumonia.

Private Ralph Vincent Brough was buried in St. John the Baptist Churchyard, Keele, Staffordshire – south east corner and has a Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/keele.html

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