S80149
WELLS, Ralph Thomas
| Service Numbers: | 3231, 3213 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 June 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Penola, South Australia, Australia, 1897 |
| Home Town: | Penola, Wattle Range, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | School Teacher |
| Died: | Natural Causes, 4 October 1971, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
North Brighton Cemetery, S.A. Ralph and his wife were buried together. |
| Memorials: | Penola District WW1 Roll of Honor, Penola Scholars Roll of Honor, South Australian Education Department Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3231, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Sep 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 3213, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Adelaide | |
| 11 Dec 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 3231, 10th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, Septic boil on his leg | |
| 3 Mar 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 10th Infantry Battalion, Temporary | |
| 1 Nov 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Sergeant, 3213, 10th Infantry Battalion, G.S.W to the left arm, had to be amputated Operated 6th of November 1917 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by St Francis de Sales College
Ralph Thomas Wells was born in 1897 in Penola, South Australia. He was a Roman Catholic. He was a School Teacher before he went off to war. His next of kin was (father) M. Thomas Wells from Penola. Ralph was single before and when he went to war.
Ralph enlisted in Keswick South Australia on the 15th of June 1915. He embarked on the 14th of September 1915. He was also in the 76th Battalion 6 months before he moved to the 10th Infantry Battalion because he was exempted from the 76th Battalion (Canada).
Ralph was admitted to hospital for a septic boil on his leg on the 11/12/16. Ralph was promoted to be Corporal temporally in France on the 11th of January 1917. He then went to Paris after re-joining from the hospital in France on the 16th of October 1917.
Ralph has been in hospital a few items his records show that his most severe injury was a gunshot wound. This hit him in his left forearm. This wound was so severe, he had to get his arm amputated. This injury occurred on the 1/11/17 and Ralph also had been hit in the head by the bullet and this took place in Belgium. Ralph was taken to hospital and had to have his arm amputated on the 6/11/17.
Ralph was promoted to sergeant on the 11th of November 1918 was discharged from the war on the 8th of April 1918 due to being medically unfit, but it was not due to misconduct. Ralph’s total service was 3 year and 290 days before he left the war.
Ralph returned to Australia on the 8th of April 1918 - he would have been around 21 years old when he returned home. He married Marie Ellen Wells. Ralph is on the Penola District WW1 Roll of Honour and a South Australian Department of Education Roll of Honour.
Ralph and his wife Marie were buried together in North Brighton cemetery. Ralph died on the 4th of October 1971 at the age of 74 and his wife died just before him on the 5th of September 1971 at the age of 73. Both were the parents of Peter, Denis, John, David and Catherine.