Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Rupert Lindley WRAGGE 1882-1992 was born in the UK. He is the son of Clement Lindley WRAGGE 1852-1922 and Leonora WRAGGE nee THORNTON. Rupert’s father Clement set up a meteorological observatory in Oakamoor, North Staffordshire in 1878 and later set up a high-level meteorological observatory on the summit of Ben Nevis, Scotland which he conducted between June and October, 1881. His wife Leonora took comparable readings from sea-level at Fort William. In 1884 Clement and Leonora moved with their 3 children to Adelaide, South Australia where Clement set up the Torrens observatory at Wakerville and another at Mount Lofty. In 1887 Clement was appointed Government Meteorologist of Queensland and the family moved to Queensland and built a house at Taringa, near Brisbane, which included an observatory. The house was known as “Capemba.”

In 1895 Clement set up a high-level meteorological observatory on the summit of Mount Wellington, in the colony of Tasmania which worked in conjunction with low-level readings taken in Hobart. In December, 1897 Clement Wragge with his son Egerton [Clement Lionel Egerton Wragge] travelled to Jindabyne, NSW., and from there he led a team consisting of 14 men, 18 horses and a dray on an expedition, [a distance of 28 miles] to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, in the colony of New South Wales. James Spencer a local mountain guide had the responsibility of getting the men, dray and equipment safely to the summit. On the summit Clement Wragge oversaw the set-up of the Arctic Tent meteorological observatory and the instruments. Three observers were left in charge, of the summit observatory, they being Bernard Ingleby, Basil de Burgh Newth and Captain Charles Iliff a retired ship master.

Clement and his son Egerton then left the mountain and travelled to the coastal town of Merimbula, NSW., 125 miles from the summit, where a low-level meteorological observatory station was set up in a house owned by local businessman Armstrong Lockhart Munn. Egerton took charge at the Merimbula Observatory station assisted by Mr Munn and his two sons.

The 3 observers on the summit of Mount Kosciuszko worked out of the arctic tent observatory until an observatory hut, was constructed which was completed on 17.04.1898. The hut known locally as “Wragge’s Hut” operated as a meteorological observatory until July, 1902 when the New South Wales Government withdrew funding for the project. The hut then became the responsibility of the NSW Tourist bureau and was used by visitors to the summit. It was destroyed by fire on or about 25.12.1913, most likely as a result of a lightning strike.

Egerton Wragge worked out of the Merimbula low-level station until August, 1899, a period of 1 year 8 months; and he then transferred to the Mount Kosciuszko summit observatory hut to replace observer Basil Newth. With two assistants Egerton worked out of the summit observatory hut for 3 years until it closure in July, 1902. Detailed meteorological reading were taken every 4 hours on a 24/7 basis.

Life on the summit was extremely harsh. Observer Basil Newth is quoted as saying, “Man proposes and God disposes on Kosciusko.” The observatory hut was a two roomed wooden structure with an iron roof. Large granite rocks were stacked up against walls to give protection from the sometimes gale force winds. In winter the hut was covered to the roof with snow and thick ice covered the front door requiring a tunnel to be dug through the ice to allow entry and exit to and from the hut. The summit and further down the mountain is surrounded by enormous snow drifts. There was no phone line or other communication with the outside world. Every 3 to 4 weeks the meteorological records were taken by one or sometimes two of the observers by foot to the Post Office at the village of Jindabyne a distance of 28 miles and telegraphed to Mr. Wragge at his Brisbane observatory in Queensland. In winter the observers travelled using snow-shoes [ski's] and on foot in summer.

The Kosciuszko area is prone to changing weather and in winter or summer, it may be fine one minute and suddenly the temperature may drop and bad weather arrive with thick dense fog resulting in absolute zero visibility. In such weather conditions it is prudent to use the paid services of local mountain guides if wishing to travel to or from Jindabyne. Fifteen observers worked out of the observatory hut during the four years that it operated and it is a miracle that none of them perished, most of them came face to face with near death experiences.

Rupert Wragge worked from the Mount Kosciuszko summit observatory hut with his brother Egerton, between August, 1899 and October, 1899.

In August, 1899, Egerton and his brother Rupert left Jindabyne with Observer Basil Newth, Donald McRae the renown mountain photographer and Mountain Guide Collins, they hit bad weather and the going was hard. Egerton and Rupert suffered from snow-sleepiness [hypothermia] and Egerton had to be assisted by Basil Newth and Rupert had to be assisted by Donald McRae. :-

Egerton wrote: - "Mount Kosciusko Summit, 15th August, 1899. Dear Father, A word to let you know of our safe arrival here last night, all pretty well exhausted. We used the sledge, running on snow-shoes to get our clothes up the mountain, an invention of Mr. Newth's, which was a success. "Owing to exhaustion we were obliged to leave the sledge on the saddle range, below Kosciusko, from which place we brought it on this morning. I was so knocked up that I had to be assisted to the summit by the guide Collins; and Mr. Newth helped my brother Rupert to the Observatory. I got the snow-sleepiness, and wanted to go to sleep. However, we are all here safely now. I have no time to write you a detailed account, as the guide, with McRae, the photographer, who accompanied him, is in a hurry to get away, as bad weather is approaching. At present there is a dense fog and strong south-east wind. The thermometer screen and solar maximum thermometer stand are all frozen over, and the ice effect is beautiful and wonderful. I do not think I shall care to stay long here. After a bit of experience I will let you know, and then perhaps you will be able to replace me. You will hear from me again in October. McRae got some fine views of our ascent. -Your affectionate son, Clement Egerton Wragge." http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/3700005 119028433, 14247663 http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/3699817

In October, 1899, Basil Newth, Egerton and Rupert Wragge were in the hut when it was struck by lightning and Egerton and Rupert were thrown to the ground.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/14231680

Mr. B. de Burgh Newth, Chief Observer, writes:- On September 13, at 2.5 p.m., the Mount Kosciusko Observatory hut was struck by lightning. I was seated at a table near the window of our inner room with Mr. Wragge's two sons (my assistants here.) (They being Clement Egerton and Rupert Wragge) Outside it was raining, while an occasional flash of lightning and rumble of thunder indicated electrical disturbance. Suddenly there was a bright flash, a thunderclap, and at the same time we all experienced a violent shock. It all seemed to happen at once, practically. We were dazed for a little while; then I first broke the silence with the rather unnecessary remark: "That's lightning !" This released the nervous tension which had held us spellbound. Certainly, a discharge had taken place between an electrified cloud and the ground, and been carried safely by our lightning conductor, which had thus, in all probability, saved us from annihilation. A cloud electrically charged passing over the observatory necessarily charges our bodies with electricity. In this case the cloud had approached sufficiently near to earth for a flash to leap the air-gap, electrical equilibrium was established per medium of our conductor, and the cloud returned instantly to a neutral state. No longer acted on inductively then, our bodies must also return to a neutral condition, and the charge of electricity thus suddenly leaving us caused the return shook-a shock which, by the way, is very often fatal to living beings. "We had felt it mostly in our legs, and had one of us been standing he would probably have been thrown down. We may consider our selves fortunate; first and foremost in that we had a lightning conductor to protect us from the destructive primary discharge, which might other wise have shattered our hut into fragments and launched us into eternity, or at least set fire to the building, our only " port in the storm;" and again, that the 'return " was not of sufficient strength to cause serious injury. Our building is protected by a four-point finial, elevated 23 feet from the ground, or 14 feet over the roof of a mountain-ash pole. The said finial is connected by a stout copper tape with a well-earthed plate of the same metal. Through the winter two of the side spikes had been broken down by ice work, and the third I had myself taken off to save it, leaving only the main central point. We were again fortunate in that that imperfectly-fitted one conductor was still able to carry the lightning safely to earth. Next day the weather cleared, and we were able to examine the finial. - http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/71753575?