PALETHORPE, Ralph Lishman
| Service Number: | 7772 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 13 April 1917, Perth, WA |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Holme , Cambridgeshire, England, 1898 |
| Home Town: | Narrogin, Narrogin, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Narrogain School, Western Australia |
| Occupation: | Assistant Town Clerk |
| Died: | Contusions & spinal wounds, Alexandra Military Hospital, Cosham, UK, United Kingdom, 21 May 1918 |
| Cemetery: |
Portsdown (Christ Church) Military Cemetery, Hampshire, England Row B, Grave 15A |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Narrogin War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 13 Apr 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 7772, 11th Infantry Battalion, Perth, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 Jun 1917: | Involvement Private, 7772, 11th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 29 Jun 1917: | Embarked Private, 7772, 11th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Fremantle | |
| 8 Mar 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1) | |
| 24 Apr 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 7772, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1), France | |
| 21 May 1918: | Involvement Private, 7772, 51st Infantry Battalion (WW1), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 7772 awm_unit: 51 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-05-21 |
Newspaper articles from Trove (National Library of Australia)
STORY
The keenest regret has been expressed on all sides at the lamentable death of Private Ralph Palethorpe, late assistant to the Town Clerk, at Narrogin. It is well nigh impossible to grasp the fact that the once familiar figure of this manly lad will never more flit across the horizon of our local life,
In the course of his occupation at the Municipal Chambers he naturally came in contact with practically every member in the community, and his bright and winning character endeared him to all,
The future augured well for a boy of Ralph Palethorpe’s stamp, and there were many who looked forward with confidence to his advancement along the lines of honour and worthy citizenship.
Mere words inadequately express our sorrow and the sorrow of others at the loss of such a fine young man. Brave, unselfish Ralph. Death never claimed a nobler soul, nor yet can the grave obliterate the memory of his friends, who will long hold in deepest reverence the name of Ralph Palethorpe – hero, patriot, man.
(Narrogin Observer and William District Representative, Western Australia –
22 June, 1918)
Submitted 26 May 2018 by Elizabeth Allen
Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Ralph Lishman PALETHORPE was born in 1898 in Holme near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England
His parents were Frank PALETHORPE and Florence Mary LISHMAN - Florence died in 1899 and his father Frank remarried to a Sarah WEBSTER
Ralph & his brother Frank Russell Palethorpe, his father Frank and stepmother Sarah emigrated to Australia and arrived on 1st January, 1911 at Fremantle, Western Australia on the ship Gneisenau
He had previous service of nearly a year with the Narrogin Light Horse in Western Australia and was working as Assistant Town Clerk when he enlisted in Perth, WA on 13th April, 1917 - he was living a Tarwongup at the time of enlistment
He embarked as a Private with the 11th Infantry Battalion, 26th Reinforcements on 29th June, 1917 from Fremantle, WA on the ship HMAT Borda - he was transferred to the 51st Battalion on 8th March, 1918
Ralph was wounded in action in France on 24th April, 1918 & suffered shell contusions & injury to his spine - he died on 21st May, 1918 in Alexandra Military Hospital in Cosham, England & was given a military funeral with his coffin draped with the Union Jack and carried on a gun carriage to the cemetery - his burial took place at the Portsdown Christ Church Cemetery in Hampshire, UK
Inscription on his headstone reads:
'HE WAS ONE OF ENGLANDS BEST AND BRIGHTEST"
His name is memorialised on the Australian War Memorial, the Narrogin War Memorial Pavilion in Western Australia and the WA Roll of Honour in Perth
He was awarded the British War Medal & the Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Ralph Lishman Palethorpe was born at Holme, near Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, England in 1898 to parents Frank & Florence Mary Palethorpe (nee Lishman). His birth was registered in the June quarter, 1898.
A death was registered in the June quarter, 1899 for Florence Mary Palethorpe, aged 24, mother of Ralph. A birth was registered in the same quarter for Frank Russell Palethorpe.
His father - Frank Palethorpe married Sarah Webster in 1908 at Peterborough.
Ralph Lishman Palethorpe, aged 12, was listed as a passenger on Gneisenau which arrived at the port of Fremantle, Western Australia on 1st January, 1911. Also listed – Frank Palethorp (Farmer, aged 43), his wife Sarah (aged 32) & Master Kurrel (Russell) Palethorpe (aged 11).
On 13th April, 1917 Ralph Lishman Palethorpe enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F) at Perth, Western Australia as an 18 year old, single, Assistant Town Clerk (at Narrogin) from Tarwongup, Western Australia.
Private Ralph Lishman Palethorpe, Service number 7772, embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia on HMAT Borda (A30) on 29th June, 1917 with the 11th Infantry Battalion, 26th Reinforcements & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 25th August, 1917.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He was marched in to 3rd Training Battalion at Durrington, Wiltshire from Australia on 25th August, 1917.
On 23rd October, 1917 Private Palethorpe was admitted to Salisbury Isolation Hospital, attached to Military Hospital at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire with Diptheria. He was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny on 6th November, 1917 & medically classified as B1 B (for Observation). The Hospital Admissions form records that he had Tonsillitis not Diptheria.
Private Palethorpe was marched in to 2nd Training Brigade on 7th November, 1917. He was marched out to No. 3 Command Depot, Hurdcott, Wiltshire from No. 1 Command Depot on 6th December, 1917 & was medically classified as A3 – fit for Overseas Training Camp on 7th December, 1917.
He was marched out to 1st Training Brigade at Sutton Veny, Wiltshire on 15th December, 1917.
On 25th January, 1918 Private Palethorpe was sent sick to Alford Hospital. He was marched in to 2nd Training Brigade at Sutton Veny from Hospital on 1st February, 1918.
Private Palethorpe proceeded overseas to France from 2nd Training Battalion from Sutton Veny via Southampton on 2nd March, 1918 to reinforce 51st Battalion. He was marched in to A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Havre, France on 3rd March, 1918. He proceeded on 5th March, 1918 to join his Unit & was taken on strength of 51st Battalion on 8th March, 1918 in the field.
On 24th April, 1918 Private Ralph Lishman Palethorpe was wounded in action. He was admitted to 25th Field Ambulance on 25th April, 1918 with shell contusions in back & injury to his spine. He was transferred to 5th Casualty Clearing Station the same day. Private Palethorpe was admitted to 9th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 28th April, 1918. He was invalided to England on 30th April, 1918 on Hospital Ship Grantully Castle.
He was admitted to Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, Hampshire, England on 1st May, 1918 with shell contusion to back & paraplegia. He was listed as dangerously ill.
Private Palethorpe’s family were advised on 20th May, 1918 that he was in hospital with “concussion Brain dangerously ill”. This was corrected on 23rd May, 1918 stating Private Palethorpe was “still dangerously ill correct disability Shell shock Paraplegia.”
Private Ralph Lishman Palethorpe died at 4.25 am on 21st May, 1918 at Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, Hampshire, England from wounds received in action – Concussion of spine.
He was buried in Christ Church Military Cemetery, Portsdown, Hampshire, England. His Aunt & Uncle were present at the Funeral.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/portsdown.html
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