Ralph Graham MOTTERSHEAD

MOTTERSHEAD, Ralph Graham

Service Number: 2195
Enlisted: 23 October 1915
Last Rank: Trooper
Last Unit: 1st Light Horse Regiment
Born: Wangaratta, Victoria , Australia, date not yet discovered
Home Town: Wangaratta, Wangaratta, Victoria
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Bridge Carpenter / Ships Fireman
Died: Killed in Action, Egypt, 4 August 1916, age not yet discovered
Cemetery: Kantara War Memorial Cemetery
Burial Place - Bir el Malir Romani, west of W.M.R lines (AL Qantarah, Shamal Sina', Egypt) by A.F.McDonald. Later interred at Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt., Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Suez Canal, Egypt
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

23 Oct 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2195, 1st Light Horse Regiment
21 Mar 1916: Involvement Private, 2195, 1st Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Armadale embarkation_ship_number: A26 public_note: ''
21 Mar 1916: Embarked Private, 2195, 1st Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Armadale, Sydney
24 Apr 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Trooper, 1st Light Horse Regiment

Help us honour Ralph Graham Mottershead's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Peter Rankin

He served under the alias of Ralph Graham. 

Birth Registration Details

Name: Ralph Philip Mottershead
Birth Registration Date: 1880
Birth Registration Place: Victoria, Australia
Father: Jos Lowe Mottershead
Mother Maiden Name: Phillips
Reference Number: 25807

Biography contributed by Sue Diamond

Ralph Philip MOTTERSHEAD, was born in 1880 Wangaratta Victoria to parents, Joseph Lowe MOTTERSHEAD and Mary PHILLIPS.  

He was the youngest of 7 children.

Ralph was noted as being employed as a "Ships Fireman" on board the steamers "Coolgardie" & "Koonowarra" in 1910, and as a"Bridge Carpenter" on his enlistment documents in October 1915.

In 1910, whilst Ralph whilst working on the steamer "Koonowarra" in New South Wales, he was shockingly injured at the home of Mr John & Elizabeth HEATH and was treated the Balmain Hospital. 

After his hospital stay, he return to the home of his sister, Mrs Theresa HEADFORD (18 mile out of Melbourne, Victoria) until he returned for the court case in New South Wales.

For some 5 years prior to his enlistment in October 1915, Ralph was an active member of the Naval Reserves.   

Ralph was killed in action on the 4th August 1916 in Romani, Sinai Peninsula, Eygpt.  He was a Trooper with the 15th Reinforcements 1st Light Horse Regiment (AIF).

Ralph was bured at Bir el Maler Romani, West of Lines of W.M.R., however his remains were exhumed (date unknown) to be interred at Kantara Miltary Cemetery Egypt (Plot B, Grave 23).

In 1922, Ralph's sister, Mrs Theresa HEADFORD, received his Victory Medal and a memorial plaque for Ralph's service.

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