Birth

Enlistment Information

Military Service

Embarkation Information

Military Awards

Death

Biographical Notes

William Stanley Rawstorn Rapsey, known as Stanley or Stan, was born on 16 September 1894 at Timaru. He was the first-born of William Charles and Maude Mary (née Rawstorn) Rapsey, who both hailed from Pareora, and were married in 1892 at Timaru. They had a daughter and three more sons. Along with his siblings, Stanley was educated at Pareora West School.

Stanley's name was drawn in the Ninth Ballot in mid-1917, when the authorities required 8117 names to cover the shortage of voluntary recruits for the 33rd Reinforcements. At this time, W. S. R. Rapsey was a farmer at Cannington, near Cave. His appeal was dismissed as he did not appear before the Military Service Board at its meeting in late July. He enlisted on 20 July 1917, a sheep farmer on his own account at Cannington, single and of Church of England affiliation. He was serving with the 8th South Canterbury Mounted Rifles. His nominated next-of-kin was his mother – Mrs W. C. Rapsey, Pareora West, via Timaru. Trooper W. S. Rapsey embarked with the Mounted Rifles Brigade of the 37th Reinforcements, leaving Wellington for Southampton, England per the “Willochra” on 23 April 1918.

After almost a year's service he was invalided home, \embarked at Suez on 6 March 1919 per the “Kaikoura” for New Zealand. This Draft No.230 of 1114 men from Egypt and Palestine was due about 17 April. Stanley was among those who reached Timaru by special train from Christchurch shortly after 3 p.m. (an hour late) on 20 April 1919. The Battalion Band played when the soldiers arrived. The Mayor welcomed them. “All were thankful to see them back and proud of the way they had upheld the honour of the country and made the name of the New Zealand Division famous throughout the world.” They were wished all the good luck they deserved, in the future. The welcome concluded with further cheers for the returned men and the playing of the National Anthem by the Band. His intended address was Timaru, then Pareora West by September. He was discharged on 18 May 1919, no longer physically fit for war service on account of illness contracted on active service (debility). He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for his time in Egypt. A social to welcome home trooper Rapsey was heled in the Otipua Hall at the beginning of May 1919.

William Stanley Rapsey married Mary Eliza Maxwell in 1920. Two of their four sons served in World War Two. Stanley died at Timaru on 13 December 1958, aged 64 years. He was buried at Timaru, his service number inscribed on the headstone. Mary Eliza who died in August 1971, was buried with him.

Charles Edgar Rapsey, a brother of William Stanley, was passed "Fit A" by the Medical Board at Timaru in July 1918. His father appealed for dispensation of his service. It was reported that “... he had three farms to look after, and the boy now drawn was just 20 years of age, and did all the team work. [The] Witness's eldest son had been at the war for the past twelve months, and ever since he had left there had been no one on the farm which he used to look after. The area of his farms were 714 acres 120 acres, and 153 acres. — lt was decided to refer the case to the Efficiency Board.”

Sources

Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database [05 December 2022]; NZ BDM Indexes (Department of Internal Affairs) [5 December 2022]; School Admission record (South Canterbury Branch NZSG) [05 December 2022]; Timaru Cemetery headstone image & burial record (Timaru District Council) [05 December 2022]; Press, 4 July 1917, Temuka Leader, 31 July 1917, Timaru Herald, 30 July 1918, 28 August 1918, 2, 21 & 30 April 1919, Sun, 31 March 1919, Press, 1 April 1919 (Papers Past) [16 December 2014; 17 January 2015; 02 & 07 December 2022]

External Links

• Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph record
• Military personnel file

Related Documents

No documents available. 

Researched and Written by

Teresa Scott, SC Genealogy Society

Currently Assigned to

Not assigned.