John Robert RAPPEL

John Robert RAPPEL Update Details

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RAPPEL, John Robert

Service Number:	7
Enlisted:	22 April 1902, National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier (contained in WW1 service record page 5).
Last Rank:	Sergeant
Last Unit:	7th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse
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 Cemeteries & Crematorium, New South Wales
Memorials:

Boer War Service

1 Oct 1899:	Involvement Sergeant, 7, 7th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse
22 Apr 1902:	Enlisted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 7, 7th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier (contained in WW1 service record page 5).
19 May 1902:	Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 7, 7th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 530 notes 7th BACH embarked at Pinkenba 19 May 1902 aboard Custodian arriving Durban 22 Jun 1902 after peace had been declared.
9 Aug 1902:	Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 7, 7th Battalion, Australian Commonwealth Horse, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 530 notes 7th BACH embarked at Durban 28 Jun 1902 aboard Manchester Merchant returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 2 Aug 1902, disbanded 9 Aug 1902.

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Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

Son of Joseph RAPPEL of Queenton, Charters Towers

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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