Virtual
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Australia

From Michael Ganey, Centenary of Montbrehain, 5/10/2018

Lindsay Ranson was born to Samuel and Christina in Horsham in 1897. He had two older sisters. In 1903 his mother Christina died of complications shortly after the birth of his brother Alexander. His father remarried in 1904 and the family moved to Ararat where his father, who was a policeman, was stationed.
Lindsay was an 18 year-old bank teller when he enlisted in Melbourne on the 14th of July 1915. He was assigned as part of the 2nd reinforcements to the 24th Battalion and he embarked from Melbourne just two days later, aboard the HMAT A64 Demosthenes on the 16th of July.
After a short training period in Egypt, he was taken on strength with the 24th Battalion in the trenches at Lone Pine Gallipoli on the 29th of September 1915.
It seems remarkable that it took just 10 weeks for this very young man to enlist, sail to Egypt, train and then enter the front line. By any standards this was fast.
Lindsay survived Gallipoli, and was promoted quickly as well, as he was made a Lance Corporal in May 1916. Having survived the Pozieres and Mouquet Farm carnage, he was promoted to Corporal in December 1916 and then to Sergeant in April 1917. The army must have recognised the talents of this young man and assigned him to the 6th Training Battalion as an instructor on the 1st of May 1917.
He missed the carnage of 24th Battalion, when it took part in the assault at Bullecourt, just three days later on the 3rd of May.
During his time at the 6th Training Battalion, he also undertook a school of “Musketry” and finished at the top of his class. Here he was also described as having a “fair” understanding of the Lewis gun.
He finally rejoined his battalion at the front in late September 1917. Just two weeks later, on the 9th of October, he was wounded in both thighs during an assault by the 24th Battalion near Daisy Wood.
Lindsay was eventually evacuated to England to recover. His wounds were described as severe and he took a considerable time to heal and when he able, his was again appointed to the 6th Training Battalion and also spent some time at Hurdcott. He was finally passed as fit dor duty and returned to the 24th Battalion on the 7th of May 1918 and was in time for the Battalions next assault at Ville-sur-Ancre and was then part of the Battalion’s most successful assault at Mont St. Quentin on the 31st of August 1918.
Lindsay was also part of the assault on Montbrehain and here he was killed in action on the 5th of October1918.
It has been recorded that he was shot in the back by a sniper.
The Ararat Advertiser reported his death on the 24th October 1918.
Yesterday the Rev. H. E. Noltenius, received word from the Defence Department that Sergeant Lindsay S. Ranson, of Ararat, was killed in action in France on the 5th instant, and he had the painful duty of conveying the sorrowful tidings to the parents of the brave young soldier. Sergeant Lindsay Ranson, who was a native of Horsham, was educated at the Ararat Church Of England Grammar School. He enlisted before he was eighteen years of age in May, 1915, and saw three and a half years of active service. He was at the landing at Gallipoli, before which he saw service in Egypt, and more recently in France. Sergeant Ranson was an exceedingly promising young man, and the sincere sympathy of all who knew him will go out to the parents of the young soldier in their sorrow – a sorrow which will be to some extent alleviated by the knowledge of how nobly he did his duty to his king and country.
Last night, at a meeting of the Borough Council, the Mayor made reference to the fall of such a noble young soldier, and it was decided that a letter of condolence be sent to the parents.

It was later reported that as a mark of respect for the memory of Lindsay, that the flags at the London Bank, the Town Hall and other business places in Ararat were flown at half-mast on the 24th of October.

In 1920, after the death of Lindsay’s grandfather, his father left the police force and took over his father’s farm. A troubled Samuel took his own life on the farm in 1921.
After the war the army was very careful that mementos, photographs of Lindsay’s grave and his medals were sent to the right members of his family, as his father was deceased and his mother was a step – mother. For this reason, the photographs of the grave were sent to Lindsay’s sister and his medals were issued to his step mother with the proviso that if and when Lindsay’s oldest brother ever wanted the medals, they should be given to him. None of the family had heard from Lindsay’s brother for some time. It is not known if he ever did claim these medals.
Sergeant Lindsay Ranson lies in the Calvaire Cemetery in plot B. 9.