SHIRLEY, Raymond Ferres
| Service Number: | 199 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 August 1914, Enlisted at Brisbane |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 9th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 17 October 1892 |
| Home Town: | Bowen Hills, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Brisbane Grammar School, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Law Clerk |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Gallipoli, Turkey, 25 April 1915, aged 22 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli, Turkey Panel 31 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Brisbane Grammar School Memorial Library WW1 Honour Board 2, Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 199, Enlisted at Brisbane | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Sep 1914: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, Promoted prior to embarkation | |
| 24 Sep 1914: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 199, 9th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Omrah embarkation_ship_number: A5 public_note: '' | |
| 24 Sep 1914: | Embarked Lance Corporal, 199, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Omrah, Brisbane | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement Private, 199, 9th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 199 awm_unit: 9th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1915-04-25 |
Help us honour Raymond Ferres Shirley's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of John Shirley and Emily Shirley nee Day of 'Coot-tha', Abbotsford Road, Bowen Hills, QLD. Brother of Edith Shirley
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Also served in the school cadets for about 3 years
Employed with a law firm of S. D. Flether of Brisbane
Biography contributed by Alistair McNee
Born on October 17 1892, Raymond attended Brisbane Grammar from 1906 to 1909 where he was School Tennis Champion & a member of the First XI Cricket Team. According to the BGS "Golden Book", he was a student of Conchology "with a fine collection of shells" some of which were presented to and accepted by the British Museum.
Raymond passed the Solicitors Preliminary Examination in 1909 & gained employment as an articled Clerk with Morris & Fletcher Solicitors.
At 5 foot 10 1⁄2, weighing 155lbs, with grey eyes, fair hair, Raymond Shirley was 21 years and 10 months when he became the first Articled clerk in Brisbane to apply for suspension of articles so that he may enlist.
On August 25, 1914 he was “considered fit for active service” & received the Service Number of 199.
On September the 24th, 1914 he embarked at Brisbane for Egypt with the 9th Battlalion on HMAT “Omrah”.
On the morning of April 25, the 9th Battalion were in the first wave to land at Gallipoli. Raymond Shirley was in the second boat to land troops.
He was observed to be wounded at Gaba Tepe & seen being removed to the beach by two stretcher bearers.
From July 1915, letters seeking information of his whereabouts were sent by Raymond’s sister Edith & his mother Emily.
Raymond’s father John, sent letters to his brother-in-law T.B. “Tommy” Hunter (namesake to the Queensland Open Golf Trophy & Brisbane Golf Club Secretary for 29 years)
In his role as a solicitor Tommy sent formal requests to the Federal Parliament & the Senate on behalf of the family.
Nine months after the landing in January 1916, Club Member George Addison (who enlisted with Raymond receiving Service number 200 & who was also wounded on April 25) confirmed that Raymond “never reported after the first landing”
Like so many others on that day, Raymond never came home. He has no known grave.
He is commemorated with 4,983 others at the Lone Pine Memorial at Gallipoli, on Panel 57 at the Australian War Memorial & on the Brisbane Golf Club Roll of Honour.
Click images to start slideshow.