Ralph Leslie WALL

WALL, Ralph Leslie

Service Numbers: 5861, V91567
Enlisted: 17 July 1915
Last Rank: Second Corporal
Last Unit: 3 Garrison Battalion (Vic)
Born: Gowangardie, Victoria, Australia , 1895
Home Town: Violet Town, Strathbogie, Victoria
Schooling: Earlston State School, Victoria, Australia
Occupation: Farmer
Died: Euroa, Victoria, Australia , 1964, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Katandra Cemetery
Memorials: Violet Town Earlston State School No. 2850 Honour Board, Violet Town Honour Roll WW1
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World War 1 Service

17 Jul 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, 5861
28 Jan 1916: Involvement Sapper, 5861, 3rd Divisional Signal Company, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Themistocles embarkation_ship_number: A32 public_note: ''
28 Jan 1916: Embarked Sapper, 5861, 3rd Divisional Signal Company, HMAT Themistocles, Melbourne
25 Apr 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, Anzac Mounted Division Train

World War 2 Service

3 Jul 1919: Embarked AIF WW1, Second Corporal, 5861, 1st Signal Squadron, per HT Malta

World War 1 Service

29 Sep 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Second Corporal, 5861, 1st Signal Squadron

World War 2 Service

8 Jan 1941: Enlisted V91567, 3 Garrison Battalion (Vic), Private
24 Jan 1942: Discharged V91567, 3 Garrison Battalion (Vic), Private

Help us honour Ralph Leslie Wall's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Elsa Reuter

WALL Ralph 5861 LCPL
3rd Div Sig Coy
1895-1964

Ralph and his brother Arthur survived the war, unlike their unfortunate cousins, Bert, John and Roger. Ralph’s and Arthur’s parents were Samuel and Sarah Wall, a farming family at Molka.  Earlston was their nearest school.

Ralph was 20 when he enlisted on 17.7.15.  He was drafted into the 3rd Divisional Signal Company. After preliminary training school he embarked on 28 January 1916 aboard HMAT Themistocles.  

Ralph arrived in Egypt, appointed a LCPL in March and was posted to Tel-el-Kebir on 18 April 1916 where he had signal training. On 26 April he was posted to Romani, where in August the allies drove back the Turks thus putting a stop to the Turkish threat to the Suez Canal.

Ralph’s service records are scanty; there is no evidence of him being sent to France. He attended a rest camp in June 1919 at Port Said just before returning to Australia aboard the Kantara. He was discharged in Melbourne in August.

After the war Ralph met Madeline Mabel Moysey, a teacher at the Earlston State School.  They were married in 1923 and settled on a 350 acre farm at Marionvale which is situated about 13 miles from Shepparton. Ralph and Mabel had two children, Graham born in 1925 and Betty born in 1931. Ralph and Mabel remained on the farm until 1943 when they moved to a smaller irrigation block at Katandra West.

Ralph died in 1964 at the age of 69, Mabel died in 1977.  They are both buried in the Katandra Cemetery.

Medals: British War Medal   Victory Medal

Memorials: Earlston State School Honour Board
                  Main Honour Board, Memorial Hall, Violet Town
                  Copper Plaque affixed to the exterior wall, Memorial Hall, Violet Town

In 2013 a Callistemon - Kings Park Special - was planted in Orchid Street by Ralph’s daughter, Betty Opie.

© 2016 Sheila Burnell

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