Edward James (Ted) Rouse

Edward James (Ted) Rouse

Personal Information
Date of Birth	10 Jul 1894
Place of Birth	Martinborough, New Zealand
Death	9 Apr 1963, aged 68
Place of Death	Manning, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	20 years, 3 months
Description	5' 5½" (1.66m) tall ; 130 lbs 58.967 kg ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; fair hair ; Tattoo on right forearm.
Occupation	Labourer
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	Roleystone, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs H. Grabham
Military Information
Reg Number	334
Date of Enlistment	19 Oct 1914
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	10th Light Horse Regiment, B Squadron transferred to 3rd LH Regt (3rd Double Squadron) before returning to 10th Light Horse Regiment.
Date of Embarkation	8 Feb 1915 ‒ 9 Mar 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A47 Mashobra
Date of Return	15 Feb 1918 ‒ 11 Mar 1918
Ship Returned On	HMAT A38 Ulysses
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Kelmscott War Memorial (South panel)
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Prior to enlisting in the AIF, Edward was a Sergeant in the Militia's 86th Infantry Battalion.

War Service

Details of his service from when he enlisted until his departure from Egypt for Gallipoli are missing. Ted embarked in Alexandria for Gallipoli on 16 May 1915, serving on the Peninsular with 'B' Squadron of the 10th Light Horse Regiment, before returning to Alexandria via Mudros (24 Dec 1915) on 27 Dec 1915 aboard HMT Caledonia.

On 2 Mar 1916 at Serapeum he was charged with disobeying an order and was given 14 days field punishment for his troubles. On the same day he was hospitalised with influenza, and spent 6 - 14 Mar 1916 in the 1st Australian General Hospital at Heliopolis. Following his release from hospital he served his punishment before returning to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Training Regiment. On 23 Jun 1916 he was transferred to the 3rd Light Horse Double Squadron at Tel-el-Kebir.

On 6 Jul 1916 he was taken on strength by them, but by 31 Jul he was again sick, this time with dyspepsia requiring treatment. After 3 days with the 1/1st Field Ambulance at El Ferdan, he was passed to the 31st General Hospital at Port Said on 2 Aug 1916, before transferring to the Military Hospital at Choubra on 17 Sep 1916. On 17 Oct 1916 he was transferred to the 14th Australian General Hospital and on 20 Oct 1916 in turn to the British Red Cross Convalescent Hospital until 22 Nov 1916.

Returning to duty he was sent back to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Training Regiment at Moascar before transferring to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Machine Gun Squadron proper on 22 Nov 1916. Between Feb and Apr 1917 he attended two machine gun courses, qualifying as 1st Class Machine Gunner including use of the Hotchkiss Machine Gun. He also managed to be AWOL from reveille on 5 Mar 1917 until reveille on 7 Mar 1917 for which he was awarded 14 days Confined to Barracks.

On 25 Apr 1917 he was transferred to the 10th Light Horse Regiment at Moascar before joining them in the field at Marakeb the next day. From 3 - 13 October he had a rest in the Port Said Rest Camp, and then on 24 Oct 1917 Ted sought out help for gastritis from the 3rd Light Horse Brigade Field Ambulance. Seen by the 76th Casualty Clearing Station on 25 Oct 1917, he was then transferred to the 43rd Stationary Hospital on 27 Oct 1917, then the 24th Stationary Hospital who treated him from 27 - 28 Oct 1917, and finally to the 14th Australian General Hospital in Abbassia who treated him from 28 Oct 1917 to 15 Feb 1918. On 15 Feb 1918 he was transferred to Port Said for return to Australia aboard HMAT A38 Ulysses. Edward was discharged by the 5th Military District on 7 Apr 1918.

Post War

Following his discharge, Edward was granted a Pension of 20/- fortnightly from 8 Apr 1918.

In 1920 he married Violet Ethel Devenish in Victoria Park. Violet died at Mt Henry on 14 Mar 1971. A daughter, Jean was born 29 Jan 1921 at 194 Nicholson road, Subiaco, and a son David (28 Nov 1921 - 10 Feb 2006) at "The Nest", North Fremantle (residential address Palmyra). David died in Maddington.

The 1921 Post Office Directory gives Edward's address as Victoria avenue, North Fremantle. Electoral Roll entries - 1925 at Aurelian street, East Fremantle, a horse driver. 1931 sees them at 168 Forrest street, a tram employee; 1936 at 156 Duke street, East Fremantle; 1937 at 653 Edmund street, labourer; 1943 with Edward at 186 Stirling street, North Perth (tramway employee), and Violet at 244 Beaufort street. 1949 back together at 95 Clifton street, Nedlands; 1954 - 1958 at Magazine reserve, Woodmans Point, as watchman; 1958 - 1963 pensioner at 13 Griffin crescent, Manning.

Notes

3880 John Francis Grabham who died of pneumonia in France 14 Nov 1918 was a step brother.

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial