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Local Heroes WW1
WRIGHT, Ronald Rothsay
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(BFC) Ronald Rothsay Wright
Boy First Class Ronald Rothsay Wright from Semaphore, South Australia. He enlisted on 25 January 1915 at the age of 14 and served aboard HMAT Sydney from 14 January 1916.
| Service Number: | 4459 |
| Rank: | Boy 1st Class |
| Unit: | HMAS Sydney |
| Service: | Royal Australian Navy |
| Conflict: | First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Date of death: | 21 December 1916 |
| Place of death: | North Sea, Atlantic Ocean |
| Cause of death: | Accidental (Fractured skull) |
| Cemetery or memorial details: | Queensferry Cemetery, Queensferry, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Source: | AWM144 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Royal Australian Navy |
ID number P01368.001
Collection Photograph
Object type Black & white
Physical description Black & whiteDescription
Studio portrait of 4459 Boy First Class Ronald Rothsay Wright from Semaphore, South Australia. He enlisted on 25 January 1915 at the age of 14 and served aboard HMAS Sydney from 14 January 1916. He died on 21 December 1916 from injuries caused by heavy seas off the coast of Norway and is buried in the Queensferry Cemetery, United Kingdom.
Picture WRIGHT, Ronald Rothsay
Service no 4459 Boy 1st Class HMAS Sydney
Born 02 June 1900 at Peterhead, SA Son of Joseph Gibbon WRIGHT and Charlotte nee HALL Of George Street, Millicent, SA.
Mr. and Mrs. J. G. Wright, of Millicent, have been notified by the Navy Office that their son, Boy, First-class, Ronald R. Wright, has died from an injury sustained aboard ship in a heavy sea. The deceased was born at Peterhead in 1900. He lived with his family at Millicent for 15 months, and then joined the Tingira. In November, 1915, he left for London, and then joined a battle cruiser. He was a grand-son of the late Rev. J. G. Wright, a pioneer Methodist minister Died 21 December 1916.
Boy Soldiers
During the First World War, the Australian Army's enlistment age was 21 years or 18 years with the permission of a parent or guardian. Although boys aged 14-17 could enlist as buglers, trumpeters and musicians, many gave false ages in order to join as soldiers. Their numbers are impossible to determine.
Enlistment of boys was normal practice for the Navy and several died on service during the First World War. Five of those who qualify for the Memorial's Roll of Honour were serving on the Sydney-based training ship HMAS Tingira.
Local commemoration
The Semaphore War Memorial on the Esplanade was dedicated in 1925 to honour all of those from the district who fought in the war. A temporary ‘Memorial Arch’ of wood and iron was first erected at the entrance to the Semaphore Jetty bearing the banner title, ‘For King & Empire’. On 27 April 1924, four foundation stones for the new memorial were laid at the approach to the jetty – one on behalf of the citizens of Port Adelaide district, one for the RSSILA, one on behalf of the parents of the fallen men, and one on behalf of the widows and orphans.
Semaphore & Port Adelaide RSL
For the 2015 commemoration of the Anzac Centenary, the Semaphore & Port Adelaide RSL has created a virtual Honour Board listing the names of over 2,000 local men who volunteered to serve in World War 1. Among them is Boy First Class Ronald Rothsay Wright from Semaphore.
