RAFFERTY, Rupert Anstice
| Service Numbers: | 118, Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 August 1914, Hobart, Tasmania |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Last Unit: | 11th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, England, 2 March 1874 |
| Home Town: | Hobart, Tasmania |
| Schooling: | Not known |
| Occupation: | School Master |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Natural Cause, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 27 April 1945, aged 71 years |
| Cemetery: |
Cornelian Bay Cemetery and Crematorium, Tasmania Derwent Gardens, Aust.Imp.Forc Arch, 2North, Number 2, F |
| Memorials: | Lindisfarne Officers of the 12th Battalion Pictorial Honour Roll, Tasmanian Amateur Athletics Association |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 118, 1st Tasmanian Mounted Infantry Contingent |
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World War 1 Service
| 28 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Hobart, Tasmania | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 12th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Hobart embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' |
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| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 12th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Hobart | |
| 1 Feb 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 12th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 22 May 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
| 1 Mar 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Major, 12th Infantry Battalion | |
| 20 Mar 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, Major, 11th Infantry Battalion | |
| 26 Mar 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 11th Infantry Battalion | |
| 4 Oct 1917: | Honoured Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, Major with the 11th Bn won DSO in June 1917 (Messines?) | |
| 9 Feb 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, Officer, 11th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Elizabeth Allen
Rupert Anstice RAFFERTY was born in 1874 in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, England
His parents were Joseph RAFFERTY & Mary BENN
He married Sarah Rose Ann PLUMMER on 30th June 1898 in Tasmania
Biography
Extract from “The Fighting 10th”, Adelaide, Webb & Son, 1936 by C.B.L. Lock; kindly supplied courtesy of the 10th Bn AIF Association Committee, April 2015.
Born 2 March 1874 at Bedford, England.
At the outbreak of the Great War was residing in Tasmania, being a school master by profession.
He served in the South African War 1899 – 1902, and was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the 91st (Tasmanian Rangers) on 16 January 1914, and held this commission at the time of joining the AIF.
He was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the 12th Battalion on 28 August 1914, and at Mena, Egypt, in January 1915, during the company reorganisation was appointed a Platoon Commander and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 February 1915.
He landed with his company from the destroyer Ribble at the historic landing on 25 April 1915, and on 22 May 1915 was promoted to the rank of Captain, attaining his majority on 1 March 1916.
He accompanied the 12th Battalion to France, and on 23 December 1916, when Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel George Ernest Redburg evacuated sick he was transferred from the 12th Battalion to temporarily command the 10th.
He remained the C.O. Of the 10th Battalion until 4 February 1917, when Lieutenant-Colonel R B Jacob assumed command.
He was the first officer to command the 10th Battalion who was not a South Australian by birth.
In recognition of his services in the prosecution of the war he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO), which was promulgated in the London Gazette on 4 June 1917, amongst the King's Birthday Honours.
He attained the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel, and temporarily commanded the 11th Battalion, and subsequently commanded the 12th Battalion 1918-19.
He was seconded to command the 1st Training Battalion in England on 28 May 1918.
During his absence from Tasmania, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in the 91st Infantry on 1 July 1915, and was transferred to the 2nd/12th Infantry on 1 October 1918. He received no appointment as Captain or Major in the Australian Military Forces, but on 1 July 1920 was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and commanded the 5th/12th Infantry. He was subsequently transferred to the 52nd Battalion on 31 March 1921 and listed on Reserve of Officers on 1 July 1922.
He commanded the 52nd Battalion from 31 March 1921 to 30 June 1922.
He was short and wiry, very alert and active, and was pleasant and well liked.
He commanded the 10th Battalion in France shortly after Flers, and accompanied the 10th to Bazentin, where Christmas 1916 was spent.
The Battalion under his command subsequently moved to Hobart Camp, Dernancourt, Bresle, Albert and Bazentin-le-Petit where he handed over the command to Lieutenant-Colonel R B Jacobs.
He was Mentioned in Despatches (MID) on two occasions, vide London Gazette on 1 June 1917 and 25 December 1917.
In 1935 he was residing at Currie, King Island, Tasmania.
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