Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Grave: | Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery | XIX. C. 19A. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.133 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 59D GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | |||
Excellent Aust record inc doc of efects incl solver masonic badge. Also his next of kin is Brother Rockstrow
Family :
Born 1878, son of John Frederick and Ann Eunice Rockstrow. Native of New Zealand. In July 1904, he embarked at Liverpool bound for New York. By 1912 he had moved to Townsville, Queensland.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 21st Company Australian Machine Gun Corps |
BEAN 2lst, 376, 378. 382-3, 34on, 347n. 746n 789n 8761s. |
| Action : The Battles of Ypres 1917 (Third Ypres, or Passchendaele) |
31 July - 10 November 1917. By the summer of 1917 the British Army was able for the first time to fight on its chosen ground on its terms. Having secured the southern ridges of Ypres at Messines in June, the main attack started on 31st July 1917 accompanied by what seemed like incessant heavy rain, which coupled with the artillery barrages conspired to turn much of the battlefield into a bog. Initial failure prompted changes in the high command and a strategy evolved to take the ring of ridges running across the Ypres salient in a series of 'bite and hold' operations, finally culminating in the capture of the most easterly ridge on which sat the infamous village of Passchendaele. The Official History carries the footnote ?The clerk power to investigate the exact losses was not available? but estimates of British casualties range from the official figure of 244,000 to almost 400,000. Within five months the Germans pushed the British back to the starting line, which was where they had been since May 1915.
Detail :
Enlisted for service in the Australian Infantry 3rd July, 1916. After a period of training he left for Europe on the Ulysees 25th October, 1916.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Yarraman No. 3652 E.C. | Queensland |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
17th April 1913 | 17th April 1913 | 17th April 1913 |
He is listed as a 35 year old Foreman resident at Yarraman, Queensland in 1913, at the time of his entry into Yarraman Lodge. War service is recorded in the ledger and the contribution register shows "Killed in Action 26.9.17." He was a joining member, reportedly coming in from the Grand Lodge of New York.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley