Corporal: 4471 Sydney Thomas RATCLIFFE.

1st BATTALION - 13th BATTALION AIF

Corporal: 4471 Sydney Thomas RATCLIFFE

Born: 1896. Redfern via Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Birth Cert:6817/1896.

Died: 12th November 1916. Died of Wounds whilst Prisoner of War in German Hands.

Father: Richard Ratcliffe.

Mother: Elizabeth Ratcliffe.

INFORMATION

Sydney Thomas RATCLIFFE served with the 14th Hunter River Infantry prior to his enlistment with the AIF and was a member of the 1911-12 Senior Cadet Champion Team under Lieutenant: James Clement BURGES. + French Master, East Maitland High School, N.S.W. (Captain and Commanding Officer 14th Infantry 1911-1916) Captained the Winning Company, Senior Cadets, Brigade Championship, 1911-12, 1912-13.

Senior Cadet: Sydney Thomas RATCLIFFE. 14th Infantry Battalion. 1911-1912 Senior Cadet Brigade Champions.

1911-1912 Senior Cadet Brigade Cloth Patch

Sydney enlisted with the AIF on the 9th September 1915 at Holdsworthy via Liverpool New South Wales and was allocated to the 14th Reinforcements 1st Battalion AIF. Sydney commenced his training at the Liverpool Amy Camp and entrained to Sydney before embarking on board R.M.S. "Osterly" with the rank of Acting Sergeant on the 15th January 1916. Sydney disembarked in England and went in to Training Camp before proceeding overseas for France where he was taken on in strength with the 13th Battalion on the 4th March 1916. Sydney was promoted to the rank of Corporal on the 26th August and was reported as Missing in Action on the 29th August 1916.

Reports from the Red Cross in Germany confirmed that Sydney was Wounded in Action and was in German Hands as a Prisoner of War on the 12th November 1916.

4th January 1919.

Prisoner of War - Died

Corporal: 4471 Sydney Thomas RATCLIFFE "Came into Hospital at Gottingen with a severe thigh wound. He was attended by a capable doctor, bur underwent an operation and never recovered. I was moved from this Hospital. Two good English orderlies were in attendance, but the food was bad. Lance Corporal: 1781 Wisbey Harrington SINCLAIR 28th Battalion AIF was in the same ward and could probably give fuller information".

Informant. Lance Corporal: 2637 John MAY. 5th Battalion AIF.

London.

7th January 1919.

Prisoner of War

Corporal: 4471 Sydney Thomas RATCLIFFE Died 13th September 1916 at Gottingen Hospital from wounds. Cause of death:- Mortification of Right Leg which had been amputated above the knee. Buried with Military Honours Gottingen Cemetery. Nearest Relative (Aunt) Mrs J. Spires. 7 Halldorrah Grove, Lark Lane, Sefton Park Liverpool, England.

He arrived with us on the same transport 7th August. He was in my barracks, he suffered a great deal of pain. Amputated Right Leg. I attended the operation. The Doctor_ Dr Gregory Rueper, thought a great deal of the English and did all he could. He used to clean things every day. The food was the best German food I saw. Medical treatment was splendid.

Sergeant: Bruce DRAYTON.

London.

Niederzwehren War Cemetery, Germany.

Sydney is buried at the Niederzwehren Cemetery, Niederzwehren, Stadtkreis Kassel, Hessen, Germany. VII C.9

GIVE UNTO HIM O LORD ETERNAL REST

Family Information

Sydney was a single 21 year old Clerk upon his enlistment with the AIF. Sydney had served for 3 years with the 14th Infantry Senior Cadets prior to his enlistment. His parents lived at 12 Beckman Street, West Maitland, New South Wales, Australia.

Military Records