Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ralph Howard Lovell was born in Adelaide South in approximately January 1896, son of Thomas Hills Lovell. Ralph grew up as a Christian in Mannahill, South Australia. little is known about his childhood. Before the great war Ralph worked as a baker, was unmarried and had no children.

Ralph Lovell enlisted, becoming a private and gaining the service number 3344 on the 25th of March 1916. At the age of twenty years and three months, he was under the average age of enlistment. He had perfect vision and was 5 feet and 5 3/4 inches tall , which was dead on average. He was trained as part of the 32nd Battalion at Middleton army barracks between April and June 1916. After the training he embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A57 Malakuta on 27 June 1916 as part of the 7th Reinforcement on route to France, arriving in France on the 25th of November 1916.

During his time in France he move from his unit to take on strength and became a part of the 43rd battalion participating in a range of conflicts including the second battle of Bullecourt and the  Battle of Amiens. The 2nd Battle of Bullecourt was a renewed attempt by British forces to capture the fortified town of Bullecourt on the third of May 1917. Australian and British Forces attacked on separate fronts however the Australian forces were faced with a much more formidable enemy delaying the capture. On the 7th of May 1917 the British forces joined the Australian forces which allowed them to capture the town, however over the next eight days the German forces launched many counter attacks but eventually withdrew on the 15th of May 1917. During the second battle of Bullecourt 7,482 Australians lost there lives even though the village had little to no strategic value.

Private Lovell was wounded in the foot on the sixth of July 1917, and spent about two months recovering from this wound. He was wounded again at the Battle of Hamel on 4th July 1918, this time in the arm. The wound was slight and he returned to duty a few days later.

For his service he received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Howard Ralph Lovell returned to Australia as part of the 43rd battalion leaving the army at his first opportunity, being discharged on the 17th of April 1919. He resumed his occupation as a baker in Mannahill South Australia.

Ralph was the son of Thomas Hills LOVELL & Charlotte Elizabeth PARKER and was born on the 6th of December 1895 in Adelaide, SA.

His parents were married on the 25th of December 1884 at Charlotte’s mother residence, Hoyles Plains, SA.

His father was the son of Henry LOVELL & Sussanah HILLS and was born on the 24th of December 1856 in Gawler Plains, SA.

His mother was the daughter of John Matthew Thomas PARKER & Elizabeth PEDLER and was born on the 26th of April 1858 in Salisbury North, SA.

Ralph was the eighth child born into the family of 12 children.

His father was a Baker and they lived at 277 Angas Street, Adelaide.

Ralph was only 9 years old when his mother died on the 5th of December 1905 at their residence and they buried her in the West Terrace Cemetery; Road 1 South, Path 28, Aspect E, Plot 14.

After he finished his schooling Ralph followed in his father’s footsteps and became a Baker.
He joined the 76th Infantry Battalion, but was only with them for 6 months as the family moved to Mannahill.

His brother Bruce was the first in the family to enlist. He enlisted into the 9th Light Horse Regiment, 15th Reinforcements on the 16th of December 1915.

Two months later, on the 14th of February his brother Leslie enlisted into the 43rd Battalion, Machine Gun Section (932).

At the age of 20, Ralph enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 13th of March 1916 in Adelaide and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot. He was then transferred to the 32nd Battalion, 7th Reinforcements.

Three days later Bruce embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A68 Anchises on the 16th of March.
Leslie then embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A19 Afric on the 9th of June.

Ralph embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A57 Malakuta on the 27th of June 1916, disembarking in Devenport on the 22nd of August.
On the 23rd of September he was transferred to the 43rd Battalion in Camp 15 and he now was in the same Battalion as Leslie.

He served in France and after nearly 3 years and being wounded twice, the first time being the 6th of July when he suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his foot and knee.
Sadly, whilst he was in hospital his brother Leslie was Killed in Action on the 31st of July and he has No known grave.

Ralph embarked from England on board HMAT Delta on the 25th of January 1919, disembarking in Adelaide on the 9th of March.
Ralph was discharged from the AIF on the 17th of April 1919 and awarded the British War and Victory Medals.

Ralph married Irene Beatrice SEARLE on the 23rd of April 1919 in St Hughs Church, Cowell, SA.
Irene was the daughter of Richard Walter SEARLE & Mary HEMSLEY and was born on the 4th of June 1886 in Henley Beach, SA.
They welcomed their first chid; Reginald Thomas, on the 21st of March 1920 in Rose Park and they then moved to Ceduna where Ralph joined his brother Stuart in his Bakery.

John Searle was then born on the 31st of December 1923 in Ceduna and then Lesley was then born on the 16th of January 1925.
Lesley was adopted by Elsie Hilda BOWDEN nee LOVELL (Ralph’s sister).

They then moved back to Adelaide and purchased a home at 50 Opey Avenue, Hyde Park.

Sadly little john died on the 24th of January 1927 at their home and they buried him in the West Terrace Cemetery; Road C Extension, Path 15, Aspect E, Plot 5.

Walter Ralph was born on the 21st of February 1927 and by 1929 they had moved to 66 Flora Street, St Peters.

Their son Reginald enlisted into the 7th Field Bakery (SX39381) on the 14th of November 1943.

Ralph died on the 13th of July 1951 in the Ardrossan Hospital and was buried in the Ardrossan Cemetery; Plot 301.

Military

At the age of 20, Ralph enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 13th of March 1916 in Adelaide and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot.
He listed his father, Thomas Hills Lovell, of Mannahill, as his next of kin and his father gave his consent for him to enlist.

On the 27th of March he was transferred to B Company, Base Depot in Mitcham Camp and then on the 16th of June he was transferred to the 32nd Battalion, 7th Reinforcements.

Ralph embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A57 Malakuta on the 27th of June 1916, disembarking in Devenport on the 22nd of August.
Two days later he marched into the 8th Training Battalion, Camp 15, at Larkhill.

On the 23rd of September he was transferred to the 43rd Battalion in Camp 15 and he now was in the same Battalion as Leslie.

Ralph experienced excellent weather until the latter portion of October and then the whole of November consisted of unsettled and rainy conditions. This caused the good health of the men to deteriorate slightly and result in an outbreak of mumps and measles.

During the first three weeks of November final preparations and issue of equipment for the trip overseas was completed and the dates of departure of the Division was expected to cover the last week of November 1916.

In the early morning of November 25th, for the purpose of the move the Battalion was divided into three parties, leaving Lark Hill Camp in time to entrain at Amesbury Station by 7.15, 9.15, and 10.15 a.m.
The weight of equipment carried by each man was far in excess of that borne on any previous march, as in addition to full marching order, two blankets, 150 rounds of ammunition, with steel and gas helmets, made a burden in all cases exceeding 80 lb. Thus the march to the train, although downhill, proved most strenuous.

They entrained to Southampton and parties were detailed for the loading of the boats and then at dusk the trip across the Channel commenced. They experienced a heavy sea which caused sea sickness to many on board. The bleak wind with frequent showers of hail made the entry into the harbour and the period of waiting intensely cold.
The disembarked the following day and marched to No.1 Rest Camp, situated on a hill about three miles from the wharf.
Here the Battalion remained for the night, leaving at 6.30am for the railway yards where a troop train consisting chiefly of cattle trucks, was waiting to take them to Bailleul.

Here they carried out a daily routine of training from 9am till 4.30pm., consisting chiefly of bayonet fighting, physical drill and route marching, the last mentioned taking prominence as being the most effective means of keeping warm by day. During the milder days, specialist training was undertaken and anti-gas drill conducted with the box respirator, which had been issued in France.

On the 23rd of December, in a high wind and through heavy rain, a march to new billets in Armentieres was carried out. Companies were located in separate warehouses in Rue de la Gare.
The Battalion then moved into support of the front line and Christmas Day 1916 was celebrated with working parties to the line and then an evening by a dinner.
The then moved into the front line on the 30th of December near Pear Tree Farm, where they remained until the 6th of January 1917.

For the next two months they were in and out of the front line around Armentieres and then moved to the Le Touquet Sector until the 5th of April. On the 18th of April they moved to Ploegsteert Wood, then in support to the St. Yves Sector, taking over the front line early the next morning.
Ten days were spent here, during which time heavy artillery and trench mortar fire was experienced. They were relieved on the 29th thus ending the first phase of the Battalion's life in the field.

Their next big battle started at Messines on the 7th of June and they were still here in July when Ralph suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his foot and knee on the 6th.
He was admitted into the 9th Australian Field Ambulance and then transferred to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station at Trois Arbres, near Bailleul.

He was then transferred by No.8 Ambulance Train to the 32nd Stationary Hospital in Wimereux two days later.
Sadly, whilst he was in hospital his brother Leslie was Killed in Action on the 31st of July.

After nearly 4 weeks recovering Ralph was discharged on the 5th of August to No.1 Convalescent Depot at Marlborough Camp, Boulogne.

He spent a further 4 weeks here before being discharged to the 3rd Australian Divisional Base Depot on the 4th of September.

Ralph rejoined his Battalion nine days later who were located at Avroult and by the 27th they had moved camp to Poperinghe and were then in the front line at Ypres on the 4th of October.
Then on the 17th of October Ralph gained 2 weeks leave to Paris and when he returned his Battalion was back at Avroult and training at their billets.

December was then spent at Canteen Corner in further training and they then moved to Erquinghem on the 20th and spent Christmas 1917 here.
At the beginning of January they were in the front line at Bois Grenier before they moved to Waterlands Camp and then onto Locre.
Then by the beginning of February they were in the trenches at Le Bizet, they then moved to Le Rossignol Camp on the 13th and the following day Ralph was admitted into the 9th Australian Field Ambulance for 10 days, suffering from Scabies.

In March 1918 they headed for the Somme and were then involved in the Battle of Hamel at the beginning of July and this is where, on the 4th of July Ralph suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his right arm and was admitted into the 12th Australian Field Ambulance who was situated in a wood off the Amiens-Albert Road.

Ralph rejoined his Battalion 5 days later, but on the 12th of July he became ill with Influenza and was re admitted into the 12th Australian Field Ambulance and transferred to the 5th Casualty Clearing Station at Picquigny.
Within two days he was admitted into the 3rd Australian General Hospital at Abbeville.

On the 20th of July Ralph was evacuated to England and admitted into the 1st Eastern General Hospital in Cambridge.
He spent 4 weeks here before being discharged to furlo on the 23rd of August and then reported to No.1 Command Depot in Sutton Veny and never returned to his Battalion.

Ralph embarked from England on board HMAT Delta on the 25th of January 1919, disembarking in Adelaide on the 9th of March.
Ralph was discharged from the AIF on the 17th of April 1919 and awarded the British War and Victory Medals.