Albert Archie Rapsey
Stephen LearmonthAlbert was born in November of 1891, being the fifth of seven children to Thomas and Marion (née Murray) Rapsey of Tallangatta.
He enlisted on the 3rd of August, 1915, at Melbourne, was allotted the Regimental Number 3900 and placed in A Company of the 10th Depot Battalion, stationed at Ascot Vale. After eight weeks of training he was transferred to C Company of the 9th Depot Battalion. About three weeks later he was placed in the 12th Reinforcements for the 8th Battalion, 3rd Brigade of the 1st Australian Division.
On the 23rd of November, 1915, the 12th Reinforcements embarked on HMAT Ceramic at Adelaide. Upon arriving in Egypt, Albert was admitted to the 4th Auxilliary Hospital at Abbassia, near Cairo, suffering from the mumps. In late March the reinforcements embarked on SS Transylvania at Alexandria and made their way across the Mediterranean, disembarking at Marseille, France on the 4th of April.
Upon arriving at the 1st Austrailan Division Base Depot at Etaples in the north of France, he joined an entrenching battalion. It was not until the 14th of July that he was finally taken on strength with the 8th Battalion. Three days later he was admitted to the 1st New Zealand Stationary Hospital suffering from pyrexia or fever. On the 29th of that month he rejoined his battalion back in the field.
On the 18th of August, the 8th Battalion was instructed to participate in an attack against enemy positions to the east beyond the Windmill on Pozieres heights. A Company was on the right flank, C on the left, D in support and B in reserve. Unfortunately, due to poor planning, the battalion did not achieve its objectives. Harold was one of the many declared “wounded and missing”.
The 30th of March, 1917, edition of the Wodonga and Towong Sentinel, included this article about Albert.
“Rev. R. H. Green received word on Tuesday that Private Albert A. Rapsey, third son of Mr T. Rapsey, of East Wodonga was killed in action in France on 18th August last. Private Rapsey was reported wounded, and at a later date was officially reported as missing. No trace was discovered of the missing soldier, but a private of the same company made a sworn declaration to the authorities that he saw Private Rapsey killed on 18th August. Private Rapsey was 26 years of age, and a partner with his brother on the Bonegilla Estate. He was a good rifle shot. Private Charles Rapsey, on active service in France, is a brother.”
The private who made the declaration was Harold Barton (3685) who stated “Pozieres was killed just as he got over the trench by machine gun fire, he fell back and was hanging over the parapet. I saw him there dead. He was a mate of mine came from Wodonga.”
Albert has no known grave. He is remembered on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, the Baranduda Pictorial Honour Roll, the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France), the Wodonga Methodist Church Honor Roll WW1, and the Wodonga War Memorial. For his service during the war he was awarded the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
Nearly twenty years after the end of the war a letter was sent to Mr. T. Rapsey, Wodonga, Victoria from Army Base Records in Melbourne.
“Dear Sir,
The remains of an unknown Australian soldier have been exhumed from a spot approximately 500 yards North-East of the village of Pozieres (Somme), and the only means of identification found at the time was a gold band ring inscribed “T.R to A.R”.
It is noted from the records that your son, the late No. 3900 Private A.A. Rapsey, 8th Battalion, was originally reported buried in this particular area; and, in view of the fact that both his and your initials are identical with those referred to, I am to enquire whether you have any knowledge of his having been in the possession of a ring such as described.
Yours faithfully,
T. Robinson
Officer i/c Base Records.”
A reply was never sent. Thomas Rapsey had passed away in 1922.
