*Remembered In ….

Remembered in France

Families and Friends of First AIF member, in France, Yves Fohlen sent this message on the anniversary of the death of Lt. Percy Ralph MM.

Photo: Percy Ralph shortly after enlistment [Yves Fohlen]

Today, [30 September] 90 years ago was killed in action 2/Lieut Percy EDGAR RALPH  MM 53rd Battalion Australian Infantry and too many others Diggers of the 3rd and 5th Australian Division were also KIA… they broke the Hindenburg Line north of Saint Quentin city.
Some years ago to tell PERCY’s story I wrote a book called “He came from Australia”. Roland “Brig” Ralph, the nephew of Percy, kindly gave me the letters of Percy to write that book.
John Laffin gave me the fortitude to start writing in English language that book… John and Roland were both WWII Pacific War veterans ………John Laffin passed away in 2000;Roland Ralph passed away in  2001.
And I am the only one left. So Today I shall be ALONE to visit Percy’s grave and tomorrow with Mike Goodwin and the teachers, the students of Mackay North High School.
ALONE is of course not the right word because I know that from their Heaven ..Percy, John and Roland will be there with many others…and the rain falling today will hide my tears.

LEST WE FORGET

Photo: Sgt Percy Ralph [Yves Fohlen]

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Yves’ book He came from Australia is primarily the story of Percy Ralph who fought with the AIF on the Western Front from 1917 and was killed in 1918. He left Australia as a Private soldier in late 1916 and within a year was promoted to Sergeant and then Second Lieutenant. The book also includes a brief outline of the history of the 53^rd Battalion in the last years of the war.

He came from Australia is available from The War Bookshop. Click here to order. Yves second book, With Guts and Bayonets – Diggers and Doughboys on the Hindenburg Line 1918, is also available from The War Bookshop.