Ralph Lloyd CHAMBERS

Badge Number: S306, Sub Branch: Salisbury
S306

CHAMBERS, Ralph Lloyd

Service Number: 1894
Enlisted: 25 January 1916, Adelaide, South Australia
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 48th Infantry Battalion
Born: Willowie, South Australia, 29 July 1894
Home Town: Willowie, Mount Remarkable, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Farm Laborer
Died: Heart Attack, Semaphore, South Australia, 7 November 1974, aged 80 years
Cemetery: Salisbury Memorial Park, South Australia
Memorials: Jamestown Methodist Church WW1 Roll of Honor, Jamestown Soldier's Memorial Park Arch
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World War 1 Service

25 Jan 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Adelaide, South Australia
12 Jul 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, HMAT Seang Bee
13 Jul 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1894, 48th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Bee, Adelaide
13 Jul 1916: Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1894, 48th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1,

--- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Bee embarkation_ship_number: A48 public_note: ''

World War 2 Service

11 Jul 1942: Enlisted Adelaide, SA

World War 1 Service

Date unknown: Involvement 48th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières

Ralph Lloyd Chambers

Private Ralph Lloyd Chambers who was born 29 July 1894 in Willowie, South Australia.

Ralph Chambers was working as a farm labourer when the First World War began. He travelled to Adelaide and enlisted in the AIF on 25 January 1916. He was initially posted to the 3rd Light Horse as a reinforcement before being transferred to the 48th Battalion. He embarked with the 3rd reinforcements to the 48th Battalion, from Outer Harbour, Adelaide on 12 July. The troops sailed in the ship HMAT Seang Bee.

After disembarking in Plymouth on 9 September, he was taken on strength of the 12th Training Battalion. After two months training, he embarked from Folkestone on 20 November for France. He arrived in Etaples on 21 November.

On 6 December, he was taken on strength of the 48th Battalion, who were at that time billeted in Dernancourt. In early January 1917 the battalion moved into the line in Flers. It was here that he came under fire for the first time. In April, the battalion took part in a major attack at Norieul, near Bullecourt. It was during this action that Ralphwas awarded the Divisional Commander's congratulatory card.

The battalion took their objectives, but were forced to retire due to the failure of supporting elements and heavy German counter attacks. On 30 April, he was sent to hospital with influenza. He rejoined the battalion two weeks later after their attack on Bullecourt.

On 8 May during the Battle of Messines, he was knocked unconscious and concussed by a shell blast. He was taken to hospital in Wimereaux before moving to Number 3 camp near Havre to recuperate. On 24 October, Ralph rejoined the 48th Battalion who were in camp near Ypres after having seen heavy fighting around Westhoek Ridge and Passchendaele.

The battalion spent the next month being brought back up to strength after having suffered heavy casualties during the Third Battle of Ypres. The battalion was back in the trenches in January 1918 in the Hollebeke sector. It was from here on 18 January that he was sent to England for two weeks leave.

In late March, the battalion moved to Albert to help stem the German Spring Offensive. Ralph Chambers took part in fierce fighting to defend Albert. On 5 April during particularly heavy fighting in the Albert sector, he was evacuated to hospital suffering from Trench Fever. He was transferred back to England, where he was also found to have trench feet. By July he was transferred to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield Park. In October he was classed as medically unfit, suffering shell shock.

He embarked in the transport ship Borda on 20 October and arrived back in South Australia on 15 December. Chambers was discharged on 25 July 1919.

Ralph Chambers enlisted for service in the Second World War on 11 July 1942. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Volunteer Defence Corps for home service. He was discharged on 25 September 1945.

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Biography

Father Moses Chambers (d. 1950 89yrs) and Mother Elizabeth Chambers (d. 1940 72yrs), living in Jamestown, South Australia.

Ralph Lloyd Chambers was born 29 July 1894 in Willowie, South Australia.

Ralph worked as a farm labourer when the First World War began. He travelled to Adelaide and enlisted in the AIF on 25 January 1916. He was initially posted to the 3rd Light Horse as a reinforcement before being transferred to the 48th Battalion.

He embarked with the 3rd reinforcements to the 48th Battalion, from Outer Harbour, Adelaide on 12 July 1916. The troops sailed in the ship HMAT Seang Bee.

After disembarking in Plymouth on 9 September, he was taken on strength of the 12th Training Battalion. After two months training, he embarked from Folkestone on 20 November for France. He arrived in Etaples on 21 November.

On 6 December, he was taken on strength of the 48th Battalion, who were at that time billeted in Dernancourt. In early January 1917 the battalion moved into the line in Flers. It was here that he came under fire for the first time. In April, the battalion took part in a major attack at Norieul, near Bullecourt. It was during this action that Ralphwas awarded the Divisional Commander's congratulatory card.

The battalion took their objectives, but were forced to retire due to the failure of supporting elements and heavy German counter attacks. On 30 April, he was sent to hospital with influenza. He rejoined the battalion two weeks later after their attack on Bullecourt.

On 8 May during the Battle of Messines, he was knocked unconscious and concussed by a shell blast. He was taken to hospital in Wimereaux before moving to Number 3 camp near Havre to recuperate. On 24 October, Ralph rejoined the 48th Battalion who were in camp near Ypres after having seen heavy fighting around Westhoek Ridge and Passchendaele.

The battalion spent the next month being brought back up to strength after having suffered heavy casualties during the Third Battle of Ypres. The battalion was back in the trenches in January 1918 in the Hollebeke sector. It was from here on 18 January that he was sent to England for two weeks leave.

In late March, the battalion moved to Albert to help stem the German Spring Offensive. Ralph Chambers took part in fierce fighting to defend Albert. On 5 April during particularly heavy fighting in the Albert sector, he was evacuated to hospital suffering from Trench Fever. He was transferred back to England, where he was also found to have trench feet. By July he was transferred to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield Park. In October he was classed as medically unfit, suffering shell shock.

He embarked in the transport ship Borda on 20 October and arrived back in South Australia on 15 December.

Chambers was discharged on 25 July 1919.


S68602  - WWII service

Ralph Chambers enlisted for service in the Second World War on 11 July 1942. He was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Volunteer Defence Corps for home service.

He was discharged on 25 September 1945.

7/11/1974   passed away of a heart attack
buried in:     Salisbury Memorial Park, South Australia

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Biography

Divisional Commander's congratulatory card from Major General W Holmes CMG DSO VD to Private R L Chambers of 48 Battalion AIF. The card contains both printed and typed writing and reads

 

'MAJOR GENERAL W. HOLMES / C.M.G. D.S.O. V.D. COMMANDING / 4TH AUSTRALIAN DIVISION CONGRATULATES / NO. 1894 PRIVATE R.L. CHAMBERS, 48TH BATTALION, / A.I.F. / ON HIS OUTSTANDING BRAVERY IN THE FRONT LINE, AND WHEN / DEPRIVED OF HIS RIFLE ATTACKING A GERMAN AND / KNOCKING HIM OUT WITH HIS FISTS ON 11TH APRIL 1917 / PLACE B.E.F. FRANCE. / DATE 24TH MAY 1917.' The card is signed at the bottom by 'WILLIAM HOLMES / MG'. 

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