ROCKWELL, Reginald Gordon Anstey
| Service Numbers: | 327, S858 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 14 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 3 Training Battalion |
| Born: | Launceston, Tasmania, 29 May 1894 |
| Home Town: | Exeter, Port Adelaide Enfield, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Hairdresser / barber |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 14 Aug 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 327, 10th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1 | |
|---|---|---|
| 14 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 327, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 327, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 327, 10th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 30 Jul 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 327, 10th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, Leave to England returned 4 October 1917 | |
| 8 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 327, 10th Infantry Battalion, Raid on Celtic Wood | |
| 16 Apr 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 327, 10th Infantry Battalion |
World War 2 Service
| 31 Jul 1940: | Involvement Lance Sergeant, S858, 3 Training Battalion, Homeland Defence - Militia and non deployed forces | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 Jul 1940: | Enlisted Wayville, SA | |
| 14 Apr 1944: | Discharged |
Help us honour Reginald Gordon Anstey Rockwell's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Steve Larkins
Celtic Wood Raider - wounded
327 Lance Corporal Reginal Gordon Anstey Rockwell was a barber living at Exeter near Port Adelaide, although originally from Launceston in Tasmania, he was among the first to enlist when Morpehttille racecourse camp opened in August 1914, becoming a '10th Battalion original'.
After completing basic training at Morphettville, he embarked with the rest of the Battalion on the HMAT Ascanius on 20 October 1914.
He was posted to D Company of the 10th Battalion and with his colleagues, landed at Gallipoli on the morning of the 25th April 1915.
He survived the fighting through until September 1915 when he was evacuated sick with influenza to the UK, where he spent most of 1916. He managed to get quite a few entries on his conduct sheet at this time for minor infractions.
He eventually rejoined the Battalion on 23 August 1916 just as they were coming out of the line from Mouquet Farm, in time to go to Belgium September / October and then returning to Flers in December 1916. He was appointed Lance Corporal in January 1917 took part in action at Le Barque and was then promoted Temporary Corporal in April before reverting when evacuated sick in early May returning later that month before being promoted once again to Temporary Corporal on 16 June 1917.
He served through the early stages of Third Ypres then went onm leave to the UK on 19 September returning on 4 October to the camp at Caestre. He was therefore with the reinforcements that moved up to join the Battalion on the evening of 8 October. He was listed on the 13 October Field Return as wounded on the evening of 8 October but as now been proven that return covers the period noon 8th October to noon 9th October so he was actually part of the raid on Celtic Wood on the morning of 9 October.
Later on the 9th October he was treated for a 'SW" (shrapnel wound) at the 64th Field Ambulance and transported to the 37th Casualty Clearing Station. From there he was admitted to the 26th General Hospital at Etaples with 'GSW' (variously 'Gunshot Wound' or 'General Shrapnel Wound' - which were often indistinguishable because shrapnel balls produced a wound very similar to a rifle bullet) to his thigh. He rejoined the Battalion on 22 November 1917.
On 19 January 1918 he chose to revert at his own request to the rank of Private, but before long he was a Lance Corporal once again.
In October 1918 after the 'Hundred Days' campaign, he, like many of the '1914 men', was repatriated to Australia.
He went on to serve in WW2 in the Militia with the 3rd Training Battalion in SA, along with many other 10th Battalion AIF veterans
Click images to start slideshow.