ROSS, Allan Hector
| Service Number: | 2885 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 July 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 1st Pioneer Battalion |
| Born: | Waurn Ponds, Victoria, Australia, September 1890 |
| Home Town: | Belmont, Greater Geelong, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 29 June 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Le Peuplier Military Cemetery Row B, Grave No.16 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Waurn Ponds Shire of South Barwon Honor Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2885, 7th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Sep 1915: | Involvement Private, 2885, 7th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of Victoria embarkation_ship_number: A16 public_note: '' | |
| 10 Sep 1915: | Embarked Private, 2885, 7th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Star of Victoria, Melbourne | |
| 29 Jun 1918: | Involvement Private, 2885, 1st Pioneer Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2885 awm_unit: 1st Australian Pioneer Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-06-29 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Vikki Ross, great niece, Waurn Ponds, VIC.
A Remarkable Ross Family Legacy
More than a century ago, two young men from the small community of Waurn Ponds, near Geelong, left home to serve in World War I.
They were part of a generation of Australians who travelled halfway around the world to fight on the battlefields of France and Belgium.
My great uncles names were Allan Hector Ross and John Charles Ross.
Their story is one of courage, sacrifice, and a legacy that continues more than 100 years later.
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Allan Hector Ross
Service Number 2885
1st Australian Pioneer Battalion
Allan Hector Ross served with the 1st Pioneer Battalion on the Western Front.
Pioneer battalions had one of the most dangerous roles in the war. They were both engineers and infantry, responsible for building trenches, repairing roads, laying wire and carrying supplies, often under constant artillery fire.
On 29 June 1918, during the brutal fighting in northern France, Allan was killed in action.
He is buried today at:
Le Peuplier Military Cemetery
His headstone bears the inscription chosen by our family:
“Gone, Not Forgotten – One of Australia’s Best.”
More than a century later, those words still stand in a quiet cemetery in France, honouring a young Australian who never returned home.
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A Family Story of War
The Ross family story reflects the experience of thousands of Australian families during the First World War.
From one family:
• one soldier gave his life on the Western Front
• another returned home decorated for bravery
• their names appear on local honour boards and memorials.
The Waurn Ponds State School Roll of Honour still lists Ross among the young men who served.
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A Legacy That Lives On
Today, more than a century later:
• Allan Hector Ross rests in France
• John Charles Ross is remembered in Geelong sporting history
• their story lives on through family and community memory.
Two men from the same family.
One who gave his life.
One who showed extraordinary courage.
Both part of the story of Australia.
Lest We Forget.
Click images to start slideshow.