Ancestor Details
Name of Ancestor: Rupert Anstice Rafferty
Ancestor's date of birth: 03/02/1875
Ancestor's date of death: 27/04/1945
Cause of Death: War Injuries. (W W I).
Service and Life Before the Boer War: Teacher. Won the 1896 Latrobe Cycle Race.
Service Number: 118
Colony or State of enlistment: TAS, Place of Enlistment: Hobart
Unit: 1st Tasmanian Mounted Infantry
Rank attained in Boer War: PTE, Date Effective: 1899
Highest Rank attained (if served after war): LTCOL, Date Effective: 26/03/1917
Murray Page: 550
Contingent: First Tasmanian
Ship: Medic, Date of Sailing: 28/10/1899
Memorial details: Cornelian Bay Cemetary Hobart.
Awards/Decorations/Commendations: Queen's South Africa Medal with Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal clasps. Distinguished Service Order, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Mentioned in Despatches (twice).
Personal Characteristics: Strict disciplinarian but a very fair man. Well loved by his troops. Height 167 cm, weight 69 kg (1914).
Reasons to go and fight: His father was the Drill RSM at Anglesea barracks, Hobart and he was from a very long line of military men, going back to pre-Waterloo times.
Details of service in war: November 1899 - November 1900 in northern Cape Colony, Free State and Transvaal; part of Australian Regiment November 1899-April 1900. (Converted from infantry to mounted rifles December 1899.)
Service and life after the Boer War: Returned to Tasmania 7 December 1900 on the Harlech Castle. Married Rose and lived at Sprent. Commissioned into 12th battalion AIF 4 September 1914. Landed at Gallipoli as a second lieutenant and promoted captain there on 22 May 1915. Served with the 12th, 11th and 10th Bns in France promoted major in France on 1 March 1916, lieutenant colonel 26 March 1917. Co of 10th and 12th battalions. Commanded Sutton Veny Camp in UK. Returned to Tasmania in 1920 as CO of a troop ship. Awarded the DSO and Mentioned in Despatches (MID) twice. Headmaster in Tasmania (Wyvenhoe via Burnie) and then worked for the Forestry Dept.
Descendant Details
Name of Descendant: David Rafferty, Pt Lonsdale VIC
Relationship to Ancestor: Grandson
