Regimental number | 1603 |
Place of birth | Lismore, New South Wales |
School | Lismore Public School, New South Wales |
Religion | Church of England |
Occupation | Railway employee |
Address | Boxhill, via Lismore, New South Wales |
Marital status | Single |
Age at embarkation | 22 |
Next of kin | Father, David Rankin, Boxhill, via Lismore, New South Wales |
Previous military service | Nil |
Enlistment date | |
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
Rank on enlistment | Private |
Unit name | 30th Battalion, 1st Reinforcement |
AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/47/2 |
Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A72 Beltana on |
Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
Unit from Nominal Roll | 30th Battalion |
Recommendations (Medals and Awards) |
Military Medal 'Work near Villers-Bretonneux on 7th and 8th August 1918.' Recommendation date: |
Fate | Killed in Action |
Place of death or wounding | France |
Age at death | 24 |
Age at death from cemetery records | 24 |
Place of burial | Heath Cemetery (Plot V, Row I, Grave No. 15), Harbonnieres, France |
Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 117 |
Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: David and Jane RANKIN |
Medals |
Military Medal 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the operations of the 7th/8th August 1918 near VILLERS-NBRETONNEUX. Private RANKIN was a stretcher bearer on Battalion Headquarters, and, on afternoon of 8th inst., when Battalion Headquarters was heavily shelled, he showed great courage and determination in the organising and the supervising of bearer parties for the evacuation of 12 Officers and other ranks, who were wounded, and were all stretcher cases. Owing to the heavy demand for stretcher bearers in the forward area, there was a temporary shortage. Private RANKIN, noticing a party of enemy prisoners passing by went and brought them in, and organised them into bearer parties. he also assisted in carrying several cases till they were beyond the very heavily shelled area, then returning to organise further parties, thereby keeping himself under heavy shell fire during the whole period.'
Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 61 Date: |
Family/military connections | Cousins: 1943 Lance Corporal Stanley James THORBURN, 4th Pioneer Bn, died of diease, 16 March 1918; 1211 Trooper Claude POWELL, 11th Light Horse Regiment, killed in action, 1 May 1918. |
Other details |
War service: Western Front Medals: Military Medal, British War Medal, Victory Medal |