John Robert RAPPEL

RAPPEL, John Robert

Service Number: 216
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Sergeant
Last Unit: 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen
Born: Maryborough, Queensland, Australia, 29 February 1876
Home Town: Charters Towers, Charters Towers, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Horse Driver
Died: Haberfield, New South Wales, Australia, 2 August 1939, aged 63 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Rookwood Cemetery & Crematorium
Memorials: Charters Towers Boer War Memorial Kiosk
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Boer War Service

1 Oct 1899: Involvement Private, 216, Queensland Imperial Bushmen
18 May 1900: Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 216, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 475 notes 4th QIB embarked 18 May 1900 aboard Manchester Port arriving Beira 14 Jun 1900.
1 Jun 1900: Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 483 notes promoted to Sergeant 1 Jun 1900.
10 Aug 1901: Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 216, 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 477 notes 4th QIB embarked 5 Jul 1901 aboard Britannic returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 5 Aug 1901, disbanded 10 Aug 1901.

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Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey

John Robert Rappel (Rappell) was born on 29 Feb 1876 at Maryborough, Queensland, a son to Joseph Rappel and Catherine Sinclair Rappel (nee Tulloch). He married Margaret Troy on 11 Mar 1904 in Queensland. Sometime later they relocated to NSW where they were living when he enlisted in 1914 for WW1. Margaret passed away in 1930 at Rockdale, Sydney, and he remarried in 1935 to Adele E. Gibbins at Ashfield, Sydney.

He served twice in the South African (Boer) War under the name Rappel and again in WW1 under the name of Rappell. First service was as a Private (rising to Sergeant) S.N. 216 in the 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, Boer War. Second service was as a Sergeant S.N. 7 in the 7th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, Boer War. Third service was as a Quartermaster Sergeant S.N. 455 in the 1st Field Artilery Brigade AIF, WW1. All of his pre-WW1 services are noted on page 1 of his WW1 Attestation Paper and on his Boer War Dossier (2nd service) on page 5 of his WW1 service record held by National Archives Australia.

(sources- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 483 and 531; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier and WW1 service record).

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