Ralph Trotter

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England
Death	1971, aged 74
Place of Death	Balingup, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	18 years, 11 months
Description	5' 6" (1.68m)tall; weight 142 lbs (64.4 kg); fresh complexion, brown eyes, light brown hair.
Occupation	sleeper cutter
Religion	Presbyterian
Address	Bedfordale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Father Mr Ralph Trotter
Military Information
Reg Number	378
Date of Enlistment	17 Jan 1916
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	44th battalion, B Company / 11th Brigade, 3rd Division
Date of Embarkation	6 Jun 1916 - 26 Jul 1916
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A29 Suevic
Date of Return	12 Dec 1918 - 18 Jan 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A71 Nestor
Fate	Wounded in Action 4 Jul 1918 at Hamel Returned to Australia
Monument	Armadale (Bedfordale panel) Armadale (Beenup panel) Bedfordale Honour Board
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Within a week of entering camp, Ralph was allocated to the newly formed 44th Battalion, and posted to B Company.

While in Larkhill undertaking training before deployment to France, Ralph was twice AWOL overnight, losing pay and being awarded Field Punishment on both occasions.

The 44th Battalion deployed to France on 25 Nov 1916 via Southampton, arriving in Le Havre at 6.30 am the next day. In the afternoon they entrained for Bailleul, and then marched to Steenwerck, about 5 km south into an area known as Flanders, where they were placed "in reserve".

Ralph had a number of spells sick in hospital, from 30 Jan to 21 Feb 1917 (mumps in 7th General Hospital in St Omer), 23 Oct 1917 to 7 Jan 1918 (bronchitis caused by being gassed, in 10th Stationary Hospital St Omer and 7th Convalescent Depot Boulogne), and 8 May to 1 Jun 1918 (Influenza or Trench Fever 12th General Hospital Rouen).

On 4 Jul 1918 the 44th Battalion was part of the force that captured Hamel in that famous action designed by General Monash to make full use of all the weapons available (including tanks and aircraft).

The troops took up their positions between 1.00 am and 2.45 am. For just 8 minutes prior to them attacking, artillery laid down a barrage, with the attack proper commencing at 3:10 am with infantry walking behind a creeping barrage of artillery. The 43rd Battalion took the first objectives and the 44th then moved through them and around both sides of the village to assault the ridge behind, reaching it before 5:00am.

As Ralph's injury was a severe GSW to his right thigh which fractured his femur, it is likely that it occurred in the final assault when heavy machine gun fire was met by the attackers.

Ralph was first treated by the 4th Australian Field Ambulance before being passed to the 5th Casualty Clearing Station and then the 12th General Hospital in Rouen before being invalided on HMHS Gloucester Castle to England on 2 Aug 1918.

He was admitted there to the 5th Southern General Hospital in Portsmouth the next day. On 28 Aug 1918 he was transferred to the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford, before discharge to No 2 Command Deport in Weymouth on 3 Sep 1918. It is here, while waiting for a ship home that he was charged on 22 Sep 1918 with Failing to Salute an Officer of HM Forces, and penalised with 7 days Confined to Barracks.

Back in Australia, following assessment at No 8 General Hospital in Fremantle, he was discharged by the 5th Military District on 4 Mar 1919.

Post War

Married Faith Thomas in Fremantle in 1933. (Faith was born in 1890 and died in 1975.) Probable son Athol John is with Ralph in 1977 - 1980, and died 1993. All buried in Balingup cemetery.

Country...Bedfordale. - The annual meeting of the local Horticultural Society was held on Friday evening...Subsequently a welcome was extended to Private Ralph Trotter, who returned recently after 2½ years active service. In congratulating the guest on being again amongst his friends and acquaintances, Mr Ottaway expressed the hope that Private Trotter's recovery would be speedy and permanent. Several other residents joined their congratulations with those of the President, and Private Trotter acknowledged the compliment..... Electoral Roll entries - 1921 - 1980 "Brooklands", Forrest street, Ballingup, farmer.