Folk, Stone and Bones

07/11/2022

As we approach another Remembrance Day I look back on a tribute to my grandfather 2/Lt James Alec Rattray who was killed in action serving with the Royal Garrison Artillery of the British Army, on 23 September, 1917.

The 5th Seige Battery was providing support to the advance of Australian Troops in the early part of the battle of the Menin Road.

On that day two other members of the battery were killed: one was Gunner George Goddard #167954 son of Maria and the late James Goddard; husband of Rosa Maude Goddard, of Berry Hill, Nunney, Frome.

The other was simply listed as Corporal A Nagle there was no family detail, not even his age. I found this terribly sad as this young man had died in the service of his country, was buried in a patch of foreign ground, and was remembered, probably due to inaccurate record keeping, only by an initial, a surname and a number. I decided to find this A Nagle and through the wonders of online research, and a couple of hours digging deep, he now has a proper name, a family, a history.

He was Alfred John William Nagle, born in St Pancras, Middlesex on 14 August 1896. His father was Alfred Henry Nagle, a carman in Kentishtown, his mother was Ellen, and he had 5 brothers and sisters. I could not find any attestation papers for his enlistment but by September 1917, he was an Acting Sergeant with 5 Siege Battery near Ypres.

He died along with Gunner Goddard and my grandfather in a fierce German artillery counter attack. He was 21 years old. He too, is buried at Bard Cottage Cemetery and I have contacted the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to update his casualty records.

Acting Sergeant Alfred John William Nagle I am pleased to give you back your name. With respect. May you long be remembered.

28/01/2021

A sad but lovely story from my old friend Jack Meyers-Shearer.

The response to the previous post of the driver and his horse and the many comments about the movie War Horse was incredible.

A repost from the 1st of August last year.

This post has one of the most unforgettable photographs that captures the incredible bond between soldiers and their horses.

The loyal and courageous horses of two fallen Australian light horsemen stand behind their graves.

Both men were killed when they were ambushed by Turkish soldiers on the 29th of September 1918.

The fallen light horsemen were Sergeant Louis Shannon Brook MM, of Pimpinio, Victoria, and Trooper Clarence William Radburn, of Neville, New South Wales, both of the 1st Australian Light Horse Regiment.

Despite detailed notes and maps on the location of the graves on Trooper Radburn's service record, they were never found by grave registration units in 1922.

The Australian Light Horse holds a proud and revered place in the hearts and minds of Australians.

The Waler horses carried their men to victory during WW1 and were regarded as amongst the finest cavalry horses in the world.

The Australian light horse regiments were devastated to learn that their beloved horses would not be coming home with them at the end of the war.

Horses of the Desert Mounted Corps Memorial has these words... ‘They suffered wounds, thirst, hunger and weariness almost beyond endurance. But never failed. They did not come home. We will never forget them’.

The memorial is located on the South West external wall of the Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney.

Lest We Forget.

Some information and photograph comes from the Australian War Memorial. Image file number AWM P12049.008.

12/12/2020

Shared from our friend Cavalier.

Judy, a purebred pointer, was the mascot of several ships in the Pacific, and was captured by the Japanese in 1942 and taken to a prison camp. There she met Aircraftsman Frank Williams, who shared his small portion of rice with her.

Judy raised morale in the POW camp, and also barked when poisonous snakes, crocodiles or even tigers approached the prisoners. When the prisoners were shipped back to Singapore, she was smuggled out in a rice sack, never whimpering or betraying her presence to the guards.

The next day, that ship was torpedoed. Williams pushed Judy out of a porthole in an attempt to save her life, even though there was a 15-foot drop to the sea. He made his own escape from the ship, but was then recaptured and sent to a new POW camp.

He didn't know if Judy had survived, but soon he began hearing stories about a dog helping drowning men reach pieces of debris after the shipwreck. And when Williams arrived at the new camp, he said: "I couldn’t believe my eyes! As I walked through the gate, a scraggly dog hit me square between the shoulders and knocked me over. I’d never been so glad to see the old girl!"

They spent a year together at that camp in Sumatra. "Judy saved my life in so many ways," said Williams. "But the greatest of all was giving me a reason to live. All I had to do was look into those weary, bloodshot eyes and ask myself: 'What would happen to her if I died?' I had to keep going."

Once hostilities ceased, Judy was then smuggled aboard a troopship heading back to Liverpool. In England, she was awarded the Dickin Medal (the "Victoria Cross" for animals) in May 1946. Her citation reads: "For magnificent courage and endurance in Japanese prison camps, which helped to maintain morale among her fellow prisoners, and also for saving many lives through her intelligence and watchfulness".

At the same time, Frank Williams was awarded the PDSA's White Cross of St. Giles for his devotion to Judy. Frank and Judy spent a year after the war visiting the relatives of English POWs who had not survived, and Frank said that Judy "always provided a comforting presence to the families."

When Judy finally died at the age of 13, Frank spent two months building a granite and marble memorial in her memory, which included a plaque describing her life story.

07/04/2020

I set this page up a few years ago after I had become immersed in research that was mainly of my own family. I discovered new techniques, new sources and resources, new links to help fill in the gaps in my family history.

In my enthusiasm I wanted to offer my newly developed skills in online research, in conjunction with my love of history and the interesting results that research can bring to the surface, as a service for others who might want to follow a similar path of exploration and just needed some help to get started, or to overcome roadblocks, or to navigate past dead-ends.

As a small business venture this was sadly not to be the case. I undertook a couple of small jobs either pro bono or at a greatly reduced rates for a couple of local clients. Despite good results and promising feedback no further work was forthcoming.

I also soon realised that I am not an entrepreneur, nor a salesman, nor a huckster so I did not push the service or the site and for a long time it has been dormant.

But now, as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown I have seen conversations online from people about how we as humans need to cherish, collect and record the memories, the anecdotes, the recollections of the older members of our families who are perhaps at greater risk now than ever, and whose stories could be lost for all time.

In my case, sadly, all the older members of my family from my father's side and my mother's side are long gone as are my parents. So much was never talked about, so much was never preserved, so much never shared and passed on to future generations whatever the reasons may have been. And some items that were saved or preserved at the time were simply lost or destroyed at a later time as a result of war. For example, my paternal Grandmother's letters and photos and mementos from my Grandfather who was killed in 1917 while fighting in Belgium, were all lost when the apartment she lived in in Plymouth, Devon was totally destroyed during the German bombing of that city in 1943.

But over the years, through research and through visiting the places my people lived, I have been able to stitch together the fabric that was and is my family going back several generations, and in doing so I have been able to discover their movements through examining shipping records, visualise their physical descriptions from military records, work out what work they did, what jobs and positions they held during their lives from Census records, and in some cases discover a criminal record previously unknown to the family.

A few years ago I did not know any of these people apart from my immediate family. Now I believe I have got to know some of them quite well; the bricklayers, the bakers, the bankers, the music teachers, the nurses, the civil servants, the military men and women of all ranks. I discovered where they were born, where they lived, who they married, where they died. And in many cases what they died of. A vast number of the generations born in the 1880's were to find their resting place in France or Belgium, many in India, a few at sea.

So this site is to be repurposed. I will use it to post stories and information about my family and maybe even some who were closely connected to my family to provide a record, a history, an explanation, a historical context of the ordinary people, the extraordinary people, the remarkable people who were and are a foundation to my own story.

I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I have enjoyed the discovery.

James Stewart-Rattray
7 April, 2020
Auburn, South Australia

09/03/2019

Here at Folk. Stone and Bones we are constantly amazed but not surprised by the role that coincidence plays in our past.

An American relative sent us this story:

Al Capone, the notorious Chicago gangster had a lawyer nicknamed "Easy Eddie” and he was Capone's lawyer for a good reason. Eddie was very good! In fact, Eddie's skill at legal manoeuvring kept Big Al out of jail for a long time.

To show his appreciation, Capone paid him very well.. Not only was the money big, but Eddie got special dividends, as well. For instance, he and his family occupied a fenced-in mansion with live-in help and all of the conveniences of the day. The estate was so large that it filled an entire Chicago City block.

Eddie lived the high life of the Chicago mob and gave little consideration to the atrocity that went on around him.

Eddie did have one soft spot, however. He had a son that he loved dearly. Eddie saw to it that his young son had clothes, cars, and a good education. Nothing was withheld. Price was no object.

And, despite his involvement with organized crime, Eddie even tried to teach him right from wrong.

Eddie wanted his son to be a better man than he was.

Yet, with all his wealth and influence, there were two things he couldn't give his son; he couldn't pass on a good name or a good example.

One day, Easy Eddie reached a difficult decision. Easy Eddie wanted to rectify wrongs he had done.

He decided he would go to the authorities and tell the truth about Al "Scarface" Capone, clean up his tarnished name, and offer his son some resemblance of integrity. To do this, he would have to testify against The Mob, and he knew that the cost would be great. So, he testified. On his testimony Al Capone was jailed for tax evasion.

Within the year, Easy Eddie's life ended in a blaze of gunfire on a lonely Chicago Street. But in his eyes, he had given his son the greatest gift he had to offer, at the greatest price he could ever pay.

Police removed from his pockets a rosary, a crucifix, a religious medallion, and a poem clipped from a magazine.

The poem read:

"The clock of life is wound but once, and no man has the power to tell just when the hands will stop, at late or early hour. Now is the only time you own. Live, love, toil with a will. Place no faith in time. For the clock may soon be still."

Now we move forward a few years to World War ll.

The War produced many heroes. One such man was Lieutenant Commander Edward "Butch" O'Hare.

He was a fighter pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Lexington in the South Pacific.

One day his entire squadron was sent on a mission. After he was airborne, he looked at his fuel gauge and realized that someone had forgotten to top off his fuel tank.

He would not have enough fuel to complete his mission and get back to his ship.

His flight leader told him to return to the carrier. Reluctantly, he dropped out of formation and headed back to the fleet.

As he was returning to the mother ship, he saw something that turned his blood cold; a squadron of Japanese aircraft was speeding its way toward the American fleet.

The American fighters were gone on a sortie, and the fleet was all but defenceless. He couldn't reach his squadron and bring them back in time to save the fleet. Nor could he warn the fleet of the approaching danger. There was only one thing to do. He must somehow divert them from the fleet.

Laying aside all thoughts of personal safety, he dove into the formation of Japanese planes. Wing-mounted 50 calibre’s blazed as he charged in, attacking one surprised enemy plane and then another. Butch wove in and out of the now broken formation and fired at as many planes as possible until all his ammunition was finally spent.

Undaunted, he continued the assault. He dived at the planes, trying to clip a wing or tail in hopes of damaging as many enemy planes as possible, rendering them unfit to fly.

Finally, the exasperated Japanese squadron took off in another direction.

Deeply relieved, Butch O'Hare and his tattered fighter limped back to the carrier.

Upon arrival, he reported in and related the event surrounding his return.. The film from the gun-camera mounted on his plane told the tale. It showed the extent of Butch's daring attempt to protect his fleet. He had, in fact, destroyed five enemy aircraft. This took place on February 20, 1942, and for that action Butch became the Navy's first Ace of WW II, and the first Naval Aviator to win the Medal of Honor.

A year later Butch was killed in aerial combat at the age of 29. His hometown would not allow the memory of this WW II hero to fade, and today, O'Hare airport in Chicago is named in tribute to the courage of this great man.

So, the next time you find yourself at O'Hare International, give some thought to visiting Butch's memorial displaying his statue and his Medal of Honour. It's located between Terminals 1 and 2.

So what brings these two stories together?

Butch O'Hare was "Easy Eddie's" son.

12/11/2018

The last notes of the mournful last post have faded away, my eyes are wet with tears and the reality and enormity of war, the Great War, The War to End All Wars, that terrible war, sinks in.

My Grandfather, 2/Lt James Alec Rattray, Royal Garrison Artillery was killed at about 10am on a quiet Sunday morning, 23 September 1917, when a German spotter aircraft spotted his battery of heavy guns at Krupp Farm, just a little north west of Ypres and directed fire from an opposing German battery on to their position. The 5th Siege Battery, RGA, had been providing artillery support for Australian troops advancing up the Menin Road.

He had been a 2/Lt for less than a month having been promoted from Sergeant for "Service in the Field". The picture of the cross shows his temporary grave before it was replaced with the official Commonwealth War Graves Commission Marble headstone after the war. He left a wife and two small children, my father Roy James and his brother Gerald Alec. Gerald Alec was killed in May 1943 while serving in Britain with 70 Corp.

The other picture is of James Alec's brother, John Rattray, (my Grand Uncle) a private in the 4th Middlesex Regiment, who had served with the London Rifle Regiment in South Africa in the Second Boer war (1902), been part of the garrison in Northern Ireland before being placed on the reserve list in 1906, When war was declared on 4 August, 1914 John was recalled to duty on 5 August.

The 4th Middlesex had already been sent to France and
stood against the German onslaught through Belgium at the Battle of Mons where they fought gallantly but received heavy casualties. The regiment withdrew and were placed in reserve. At this stage the war was fought over open ground, trench warfare had not yet begun and John arrived in France on 14 September and went into further training camps near the coast before being deployed to the Regiment on the front line.

He joined the regiment while they were held in reserve to support an attack by the Irish Fusiliers on Le Pilly, near Herlies, France. On the 21 October 1914, John and 22 other soldiers and NCO's were billeted in a farm house behind the lines when a German artillery shell hit the farm house and all inside were either killed or wounded. The farmhouse caught fire and the roof collapsed making it impossible to recover the wounded. The bodies of the dead were never recovered and their names appear on the faded limestone plaques at the nearby le Touret Memorial. John Rattray never fired a shot in anger during his short involvement in the War. He left a wife and two small children. He had been at the front for less than week.

16/09/2018

Never underestimate the power of coincidence in shaping your history. My own work has revealed some classic moments of pure chance in my family’s past. More to come....

12/02/2018

Hi folks and followers, I know we have been a bit quiet the last couple of weeks and that is due to me being immersed in tracking the family history of a local family. From some questions about a grandmother's lineage I have followed the trail back through time and place to 16 Century England. So don't ever think you don't know where you came from or who you really are. If you are interested message me for details on how I can help you trace your ancestry and heritage.

12/01/2018

Did you know…..

Auburn, for many years, was a major centre for the breeding of Draught or Heavy horses. These gentle giants were the sole source of energy and power available to settlers in the early days of settlement until around 1925 when motor vehicles and powered machinery became available.

The Fitzgerald family of Waterloo Farm, just north of Auburn township, and the descendants of George Fitzgerald, the veteran of the Battle of Waterloo who settled in this area and was the subject of an earlier post, were predominantly wheat farmers and leased additional land west of Auburn to increase their holdings. They had several heavy horses and a number of teamsters to “chase” the ploughs and harrows.

In 1903 the Fitzgerald brothers imported the Clydesdale Mare “St Elma” from Scotland for 1,100 pounds, what was then a large sum and in today’s money about $200,000.

In 1904 the business name “Fitzgerald Bros Horse Dealers” was registered and marked the beginning of a stud stock breeding enterprise which was to bring the family fame, fortune and ultimately, and sadly, financial ruin.

The family horses would be exhibited at country shows across South Australia with stud fees ranging from 20-500 pounds ($7,000 - $75,000 today) a considerable sum indeed.

Three Entires (breeding stallions) “Sir Hector McDonald”, “Young Agitator”, and “Whitchurch Swell” were considered to be the very best of the Fitzgerald breeding stock and their services were sought far and wide.

“Whitchurch Swell” was ranked by the Royal Agricultural and Horticultural Society of South Australia as the finest Entire of his time.

A photograph of “Whitchurch Swell” held by George Fitzgerald at the Jubilee Grounds behind Adelaide University) in 1914 is on file at the Mortlock Library on North Terrace and stands as a fitting tribute and testimony to this magnificent work horse and the Auburn family who bred him.

But after 15 years at the top of their trade, rising costs and the onset of new technologies saw the end of the demand for Draught Horses and the brothers dissolved the business. Robert Oswald Fitzgerald died in 1921, George Fitzgerald left Waterloo Farm and moved away with most of the stallions while the mares remained at Waterloo Farm to see out their days.

By 1927 all the draught horses had either died or been sold. Mechanisation had taken over and the days of horse power were drawing to a close.

09/01/2018

Did you know….

While we lay claim to Auburn being the birthplace of the poet C. J Dennis, this small town has produced its fair share of Australian heroes.

Among these is Albert Miell born in Auburn on 11 November 1869 to Harry and Ellen Miell.

Albert Miell was to forge a career as both successful farmer and professional soldier, commanding the 9th Light Horse in the early periods of Australia’s involvement in the First World War 1 and died while leading his men on an attack on Turkish lines at
Gallipoli.

Although a son of Auburn and the surrounding district, Albert Miell’s name does not appear on the Auburn War Memorial, and, as a result, sadly few local people know of him and his sacrifice.

He grew up in Auburn and attended Auburn Public School, after which he went on to Way College to study commercial subjects. On completing his studies Miell became a farmer in the Crystal Brook district. He also joined the Citizens’ Military Force at the age of 19, initially serving with the 2nd Battalion, Australian Rifles. By 1896 he had been promoted to warrant officer.

He married Lily Mabel Symons on 17 February 1897, and by 1910 two daughters and two sons had been born to the couple. A third son, born that year, died only months after his birth.

After being promoted lieutenant Miell served in South Africa from 1901 until 1902 with the 5th South Australian Imperial Bushmen. This unit was attached to Colonel Beauvoir De Lisle’s brigade, and over the following 12 months travelled vast distances and saw heavy service which contributed materially to the ending of the Boer War. By the end of his service Miell was commanding his regiment’s D Squadron and had been awarded five service clasps for his Queens’ South Africa medal. He returned to South Australia in May 1902 and resumed farming at Crystal Brook.

Miell continued his career in the Citizens’ Military Force and in 1912 he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and given command of the 24th Light Horse Regiment.

When the First World War began Miell immediately applied for a commission with the newly raised 3rd Light Horse Regiment. He was appointed lieutenant colonel and given command of the 7th Light Horse Regiment before being transferred to command the 9th Light Horse Regiment being raised in South Australia and Victoria.

The unit came together and trained in Victoria under Miell’s guidance. In February 1915 the 9th Light Horse embarked for Egypt aboard the transport ship Karoo.

Miell and his men were not given long to settle into their training in Egypt. With the Australian infantry suffering heavy casualties on Gallipoli, the men of the light horse were sent to bolster the defences.

The 9th Light Horse Regiment reached Gallipoli on 21 May and the following day relieved men of the Auckland Mounted Rifles on Walker’s Ridge. Miell and his men spent the next months in and out of the line there.

On 7 August the 9th Light Horse was in reserve during the fateful attack on The Nek. As the men attacked towards Chunuk Bair, Miell’s regiment provided fire support. During the day, while leading his men from the front line, Miell was shot and killed. He was later laid to rest in the cemetery at Ari Burnu. He was 45 years old.

In September that year Miell was posthumously mentioned in Sir Ian Hamilton’s dispatches.

Next Anzac Day, let us remember Albert Miell, an Auburn man who gave his life for his country.

Note: The information in this document comes from the Australia War Memorial site, with thanks to Michael Kelly, Historian, Military History Section.

18/12/2017

Hey Folk, thanks for "Liking" my new page. There will be lots of interesting stuff to come, both local and from all over the world. Stay tuned!

Folk, Stone and Bones provides a full research service to help you in your search whether you just want to find a single person or place, or develop a family tree.