DE PLATER, Roy Kosciusko
| Service Number: | 6973 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 November 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | 9 October 1898, place not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Rockdale, Rockdale, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Technical High School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Electric junior |
| Died: | Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia, 29 June 1963, aged 64 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: | Sydney Technical High School WW1 Roll Of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Nov 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6973, 2nd Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov 1916: | Involvement Private, 6973, 2nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: '' | |
| 9 Nov 1916: | Embarked Private, 6973, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Benalla, Sydney |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Sydney Technical High School
Roy Kosciusko Service Number 6973
Roy Kosciusko Was born in 9/10/1898 to Mary Ann and Michael Augustus Ladislas and lived in Railway Gates, Harrow Road Rockdale, Sydney, New South Wales. In 1910 he began studying at Sydney Technical High School at the Ultimo campus where he achieved high results including B in Modern History, B in Maths 1, B in Maths 2, A in Physics and B in Chemistry. After graduation he began working as an Electrical junior and later joined the army. In approximately September 1916 Roy enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) where he was put into the 2nd Battalion as a private and presumably engaged in basic training in Sydney at the ShowGround where he completed basic training activities such as military drills, Military command and Operating military equipment such as grenades and guns in a training camp where “The conditions was described ‘worse than the nearby Holsworthy internment camp for enemy aliens”’. After approximately 6 months of training, He embarked for the Western front on board the HMAT A24 Benalla ship on 9 November 1916.
Roy served in the army on the Western Front from approximately January 1917 to May 1919 in the 2nd Battalion’s 23rd Regiment. This regiment would have been a group of soldiers to replace casualties and alleviate the pressure on the front lines. Roy’s first battle in World war 1 was in the battle of Messines Ridge in June of 1917 just 7 months after he enlisted. In the battle, The British army laid 19 mines under enemy lines which led to one of the largest non-nuclear explosions. This battle caused significant casualties on both sides, and Roy suffered a shrapnel wound to his arm which led to him requiring extensive medical care. After recovering from his gunshot wound, he took part in the infamous battle of Passchendaele in October 1917 which was also known as the third battle of Ypres. This battle was one of the most brutal battles during WW1 with the relentless rain turning the battlefield into almost like a swamp. This battle caused huge casualties for both sides with Roy suffering a shrapnel wound to his arm causing him to evacuate to England for medical treatment.
Roy spent 2 years in England recovering from his injuries and returned to Australia to continue recovering on 23/7/1919. After returning to Australia he continued his life as a civilian and bought a house in 141 Burnett street Parramatta and married Emily Lucy Wallington on 15/2/1936. He had 2 sons with Emily named Keith John and Roy Charles Michael. He began working as an electrician which aligns with his job before WW1 as an electrical junior. In his spare time he enjoyed participating in community service particularly for veterans. He passed away on 29/6/1963 in Parramatta but his cause of death is unknown. Roy was not only a hardworking student but also a brave and resilient soldier that fought for our country and will be remembered through memorials including the Sydney Technical High school Honor board.
Bibliography:
Virtual War Memorial: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/208998
Roy Kosciusko, research on war: Memorialhttps://tinyurl.com/3btf8nkv
Roy Kosciusko. Service information: https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=76015
Roy Kosciusko War files: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SessionTimeout.aspx