Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early Life

Wilfrid Rippon Snow was born on the 9th of June 1893 at North Adelaide, SA, the son of Francis Hugh Snow and Flora Langman. His siblings were Hilda (b1888), Harold (b1890) and Arthur Maurice (b1897). Francis Snow was a metal broker and well-known Adelaide businessman.

Schooling

Wilfrid attended Prince Alfred College, Adelaide from 1901-1909. He won fifth prize in the Second form in 1903. He passed his Primary Examinations in 1906 and Junior Examinations in 1907 (equal 14th in English Literature for candidates under age). In 1908 he received first prize for the PAC Lower Sixth Form (University). Wilfrid competed his Senior Examinations in 1908 (45th on the general honours list for candidates under age) and his Higher Public Examinations in 1909. He was awarded the PAC Librarian and Curator’s prize in 1909.

While at PAC, Wilfrid was a member of the cricket team in the 1908/09 and 1909/10 seasons. In 1909 he was a member of the Inter-collegiate team which played against St Peter’s College in December.

Adelaide University

Wilfrid commenced studying toward a Bachelor of Science degree at Adelaide University in 1910. In addition to his studies at Adelaide University, Wilfrid also undertook subjects at the School of Arts (including 1911 Second Grade Plane Geometry, 1913 Intermediate Measured Freehand) and the School of Mines (including 1911 Architectural History, Metallurgy and Petrology & Mechanical Engineering).

In December 1914 Wilfrid graduated with a Bachelor of Engineering degree and a Diploma in Applied Science (metallurgy) and a Fellowship of the School of Mines.

While at University, Wilfrid was a member of the Senior Cadets and he was appointed a provisional Lieutenant from 1st July 1911.

University Sport

After playing 1st X1 cricket at PAC, Wilfrid tried his hand for Adelaide University. Starting in B Grade at the start of the 1910/11 season, he had little success and it appears soon after he took up playing golf instead.

While at Adelaide University, Wilfrid played golf at the North Adelaide Club and competed in their Saturday competitions.

World War I

Shortly after the commencement of WWI, Wilfrid’s father, F.H. Snow, was charged with unlawfully attempting to trade with the enemy. The matter was tried and re-tried several times and finished in the High Court. The case was not ultimately concluded until September 1919 with F.H. Snow being fined £2,000. (See Appendix 1 of document)

Meanwhile, Wilfrid moved to Sydney and ran the office of his father’s firm there and attended the University of Sydney where he commenced an Economics degree. He passed Business Principles (Credit) and Accountancy I in September 1915 before returning to South Australian and departing from Outer Harbour by the R.M.S. Arabia, sailing for London on the 23rd of September 1915.

Wilfrid enlisted in London in December 1915. He became a pupil with the Royal and Provincial Aviation Company at Hendon and Member Number 2359 of the British Aero Club on the 28th of January 1916.

He gained his commission in the Royal Flying Corps on the 23rd of February 1916 and was at Brocklands for further training. He served with the no 2, 19 and 8 Reserve Squadrons and in France with No 10 from the 15th of May 1916. Wilfrid was promoted to Flying Officer on the 18th of May 1916 and having passed his examinations at Netheravon, was promoted to Lieutenant on the 1st of July 1916. Having obtained his “wings” he was ordered onto active service overseas.

Wilfrid described his experiences in training in a letter to friends in Adelaide (see document).

On the 17th of February 1917, Wilfred was promoted to temporary Captain and on the 28th of March 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross for conspicuous gallantry in action.

On the 12th of August 1917 Wilfrid transferred to 2nd Squadron and became squadron commander (temporary major) on the 16th of August 1917. Wilfrid had experience flying BE2C, AVRO, AW RE8, Bristol Fighter and DH9s.

Wilfrid’s youngest brother, A. Maurice Snow, enlisted on the 23rd of September 1916 and the brothers saw each other in the latter half of 1917. Maurice was said to be ‘doing good work with the motor drivers’.

On the 4th of May 1917, Wilfrid wrote the following letter to Canadian Pilot, Alan Arnett McLeod, congratulating him on being awarded the Victoria Cross. ‘Babe’ McLeod did not recover sufficiently from his wounds to return to the squadron. He was repatriated to Canada after receiving (on crutches) his VC from the King. Tragically ‘Babe’ died on the 6th of November 1919 in Winnipeg, Canada, having contracted influenza which led to pneumonia.

Wilfrid was promoted to Major on the 1st of April 1918 and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order on the 22nd of April 1918 and was Mentioned in Dispatches on two occasions.

Wilfrid was granted six months leave of absence and left London for Adelaide, by way of America, on the 13th of September 1918. He arrived in Sydney in mid-November 1918 and then travelled to Melbourne before catching the express to Adelaide, arriving on the 21st of November 1918. On his return to Australia Wilfrid gave several interviews detailing some of his experiences during the War (see document).

On the 4th of April 1919 Wilfrid caught the American steamer Sonoma in Sydney for the USA. He arrived in Liverpool on the 30th of April 1919 on board the Cunard Line Steamship Co Ltd Royal George which had departed from New York. In the Post-Armistice period, Wilfrid was with the Head Quarters of the Army of Rhine. He was repatriated to Australia departing from the UK onboard the Orsova on the 22nd of November 1919.

Post-War Career and Family Life

Wilfrid’s parents, Mr and Mrs F.H. Snow left for a trip to the UK and the Continent in January 1920 and remained overseas for a year and it is possible Wilfrid returned to managing the family business, Francis Snow and Sons. However, this is not certain as Wilfrid’s name only starts to appear in the newspapers from June 1922, when he recommenced playing golf. In August 1922, he played in the South Australian Golf Championships handicap event at Seaton (Royal Adelaide) finishing equal second.

In December 1922, Wilfrid was mentioned in the Tasmanian newspapers, when he was about to visit the Zeehan district, buying ore.

In June 1923, Wilfrid became engaged to Mabel Glace McCullough Ewing, the daughter of Mr and Mrs F Ewing of Brisbane. The couple were married on the 24th of June 1923 at St. Michael’s, Vaucluse, Sydney, NSW.

Wilfrid’s parents frequently opened their gardens at St. Wilfrids, Aldgate, to the public for various fetes and charitable events during WWI and after the War. St Wilfrids is now know as Beechwood.

In November 1924 Wilfrid became the Honorary Consul for Peru in Adelaide.

From December 1924, Wilfrid became involved in a number mining companies, such as the Moonta Copper Recovery Company Limited, which intended to acquire the copper cementation business of Wallaroo and Moonta Mining and Smelting Company Limited. Wilfrid and Mabel were living at 86 Northgate Street, Millswood by April 1925 and Wilfrid purchased a Buick.

In July 1926 the company, Francis H Snow Proprietary Limited, was created to take over the family business previously run under the style of Francis H Snow with Wilfrid as the company’s manager.

Wilfrid was a founding member of the South Australian Aero Club (1926) and was on the Flying Section of the Club’s committee. He was described as a merchant in the Club’s application for the formation of the company, Australian Aero Club (South Australian Section) Limited.

In December 1928, Wilfrid was a subscriber to the memorandum of association for the formation of the Bank of Adelaide Limited.

Wilfrid was a Handicapper and Starter at the Aerial Pageant at Parafield in March 1930.

In April 1930, Wilfrid’s father Francis Hugh Snow, died and just a month later his mother Flora passed away.

In addition to deaths in the family, Wilfrid’s business was suffering due to the world-wide depression and the slump in the metal markets in the early 1930’s.

Wilfrid was a member of the committee to arrange a reception for famous female aviator Amy Johnson in 1930 and in 1931, he was again a Starter at the Air Pageant held in Adelaide in October.

1932 brought the arrival of Wilfrid and Mabel’s first child, a daughter (Francis-Mary Snow) who was born on the 11th of November at the Memorial Hospital.

Wilfrid invested in the new company Grunthal Gold Mines Ltd in March 1935. In addition, he was managing director of the North Mount Farrell Mine (silver and lead) which operated in Tasmania.

In 1937 Wilfred became a Director of the Magnet Silver-Lead Mines (No Liability) company in Tasmania and later that year his second daughter, Helen, was born on the 6th of June at the Unley Private Hospital.

World War II

Early during WWII, Wilfrid along with many others, lost money when John William Walsh of Hatches Creek, Northern Territory ‘disappeared’ with company funds. Walsh had been running a wolfram (tungsten) mining operation which Wilfrid had be assisting with finance.

Wilfrid enlisted for WWII with Service Number SN 4336. His WWII record was not open to the public at the time of writing the document. Wilfrid was one of four airmen from WWI who led air training units in South Australia.

Wilfrid's WWII RAAF Records is now open at
https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=5253084

In May 1943, Wilfrid became the President-elect of the Adelaide Rotary Club.

Post-WWII

Wilfrid accepted a seat on the Board of Colton, Palmer & Preston Ltd (an Adelaide manufacturing company) in June 1946. In July 1946, Wilfrid laid the foundation stone for the new clinic at the Port Adelaide Central Methodist Mission.
In 1951 daughter Francis-Mary Snow was an Arts student at Adelaide University.

Wilfrid was elected president of the Crippled Children’s Association in South Australia in September 1951, a position he still held in 1954 (the date to which South Australian newspapers were available digitally at the time of writing the profile, November 2017).

In September 1952 the family listed their property at 86 Northgate Street, Unley Park (formerly Millswood) for sale. It is not clear if the property was sold as the Snow’s continued to live in Unley Park.

In January 1953 Francis-Mary Snow and Rosemary Cope were holidaying at Ocean Beach, Cottesloe, WA, with Rosemary’s parents. Mabel then took Francis-Mary and Helen to Melbourne on holidays. Francis-Mary Snow graduated from Adelaide University in 1955 as an Associate in Physiotherapy.

Death

Wilfrid’s mother, Mabel Grace Snow died in November 1955 and was buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide on the 14th of November 1955.

Wilfrid Rippon Snow passed away on the 15th of June 1956, aged 63. He is buried at Centennial Park Cemetery, Adelaide. His last abode was at Unley Park.

Other Stories

Two newspaper articles published at the time when Wilfrid won his Military Cross state that he was at Roseworthy Agricultural College in 1909. However other newspapers suggest that Wilfrid was still at PAC in 1909.

The book, ‘South Australian Airmen of the Great War’ states that for some time Wilfrid was on the metallurgical staff at smelters at Wallaroo. However, no further details have been located to confirm this statement and to fit it into Wilfrid’s story.

Author EE (Beth) Filmer

For the complete profile including photographs, newspaper articles, documents and sources prepared for the AUFC/AUCC WWI Memorial Project (in the period 2015-2019) please see the document attached.