Lawrence Wilfred RATTRAY

RATTRAY, Lawrence Wilfred

    Service Numbers: 1665, 3332, 118848
    Enlisted: 29 September 1942
    Last Rank: Sergeant
    Last Unit: 3rd Light Horse Regiment
    Born: Derby, Tasmania, Australia, 3 August 1896
    Home Town: Derby, Tasmania
    Schooling: Not yet discovered
    Occupation: Police Officer
    Died: Melbourne, Australia, 2 July 1973, aged 76 years, cause of death not yet discovered
    Cemetery: Ringarooma Cemetery
    Memorials: Derby WW1 Roll of Honour
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    World War 1 Service

    19 Feb 1915: Embarked Private, 1665, 15th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Melbourne
    19 Feb 1915: Involvement Private, 1665, 15th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: ''
    12 May 1915: Involvement Private, 3332, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, ANZAC / Gallipoli, First World War Embarkation Roll - Lawrence Wilfred Rattray Service number: 3332 Rank: Private Roll title: 3 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] - 21 to 35 Reinforcements (August 1916 - March 1918) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918 Date of embarkation: 9 May 1917 Place of embarkation: Sydney Ship embarked on: HMAT Port Sydney Ship number: A15 3rd Light Horse Regiment The 3rd Light Horse Regiment was raised in Adelaide on 17 August 1914. Although most of its recruits were enlisted in South Australia, one of the regiment’s three squadrons was composed of Tasmanians and was raised and trained in Hobart. The two components sailed from their home ports in late October 1914 and arrived in Egypt in the second week of December. Here, they joined the 1st and 2nd Regiments to form the 1st Light Horse Brigade. The 1st Light Horse Brigade deployed to Gallipoli without its horses and landed there on 12 May 1915, joining the New Zealand and Australian Division. The 3rd Light Horse played a defensive role throughout the campaign and was in reserve when its sister regiments attacked as part of the August offensive. It left Gallipoli on 14 December 1915.
    4 Aug 1916: Involvement 3332, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Battle of Romani, Back in Egypt, the 3rd Light Horse joined the ANZAC Mounted Division. Between January and May 1916, the regiment was deployed to protect the Nile valley from bands of pro-Turkish Senussi Arabs. On 18 May, as part of its parent brigade, it joined the forces defending the Suez Canal. The 1st Light Horse Brigade played a significant role in turning back the Turkish advance on the canal at the battle of Romani on 4 August. In ensuing days the regiments of the brigade participated in the immediate follow-up of the defeated Turks, but were soon withdrawn to rest.
    23 Dec 1916: Involvement 3332, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Battle of Magdhaba, The 3rd Light Horse rejoined the Allied advance across the Sinai in November and was subsequently involved in the fighting to secure the Turkish outposts on the Palestine frontier - Maghdaba on 23 December 1916 and Rafa on 9 January 1917.
    9 Jan 1917: Involvement 3332, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Battle of Rafa, The 3rd Light Horse rejoined the Allied advance across the Sinai in November and was subsequently involved in the fighting to secure the Turkish outposts on the Palestine frontier - Maghdaba on 23 December 1916 and Rafa on 9 January 1917.
    24 Feb 1917: Involvement 3332, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Amman Raid (First), played a part. With the capture of Gaza, the Turkish position in southern Palestine collapsed. The 3rd Light Horse Regiment participated in the advance to Jaffa that followed, and was then committed to operations to clear and occupy the west bank of the Jordan River. It was involved in the Amman (24-27 February) and Es Salt (30 April-4 May) raids and the repulse of a major German and Turkish attack on 14 July 1918.
    19 Apr 1917: Involvement 3332, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Battles of Gaza , The 3rd's next major engagement was the abortive second battle of Gaza on 19 April 1917. Gaza finally fell on 7 November 1917, after a wide outflanking move via Beersheba, in which the 1st Light Horse Brigade played a part.
    9 May 1917: Involvement Private, 3332, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: ''
    9 May 1917: Embarked Private, 3332, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Port Sydney, Sydney
    20 May 1918: Wounded Australian Naval & Military Expeditionary Forces (New Guinea 1914), Private, 1665, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Es Salt Raid, Wounded, Shot through the knee by an insurgent. The 3rd Light Horse Regiment participated in the advance to Jaffa that followed, and was then committed to operations to clear and occupy the west bank of the Jordan River. It was involved in the Amman (24–27 February) and Es Salt (30 April–4 May) raids and the repulse of a major German and Turkish attack on 14 July 1918.

    World War 2 Service

    29 Sep 1942: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Sergeant, 118848
    Date unknown: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer

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