Private Gordon Rankin Inglis – Australian Imperial Force, 5th Battalion
Early Life
Gordon Rankin Inglis was born in 1891 at Williamstown, Victoria, Australia, the only son of David Gordon Inglis and Lydahlia McLean. His father David was born in Scotland in 1862, and his mother, Lydahlia in Australia in 1870; the couple married in 1887.
Australian Electoral Rolls 1914 |
Before the outbreak of war, Gordon worked as an accountant.
His name appears in the Australian Electoral Rolls of 1914, placing him
in Williamstown during the final months of peace.
Military Service
Gordon Rankin Inglis Attestation Papers |
He later fought in the Gallipoli campaign, where he suffered
a serious wound after being shot through the lung. He was first sent to
a base hospital in Malta, where he remained for five months,
before being transferred to Britain for further treatment.
By November 1915, he was among several Canadian and
Australian wounded soldiers who arrived at the YMCA in Swansea. Here, he
and his comrades were given rest and support, and during Christmas 1915,
it was reported that they “had a happy time.”
Illness and Death
Following Christmas, Gordon was transferred to Swansea
Hospital, where he was due to undergo X-ray treatment for his
wounds. However, before this could be carried out, his health deteriorated, and
he died on 23rd January 1916, aged 24.
Burial
Gordon Rankin Inglis Danygraig Cemetery credit - findagrave |
On 5th February 1916, he was buried with full military honours at Danygraig Cemetery, Swansea.
South Wales Daily Post |
Herald of Wales |
The South Wales Daily Post and the Herald of Wales both reported on the solemn funeral. A firing party from the Shropshire Regiment was present, along with a detachment of the King’s Royal Rifles. Members of the 78th Glamorgan V.A.D. and several wounded soldiers, conveyed by motor car from local hospitals, also attended. The service was conducted by Canon J. H. Watkins-Jones, while Piper Donald Frazer fulfilled Inglis’s wish by playing the pipes over his grave.
The large, ceremonial nature of the funeral reflected the
respect Swansea showed to a young man who had died far from home. Inglis’s
grave remains unique as the only Australian burial at Danygraig Cemetery.
Legacy
South Wales Daily Post |
As the only Australian soldier buried at Danygraig,
Gordon Rankin Inglis symbolises both the global reach of the war and the
compassion shown by local communities in caring for those who fought and died
far from home. His grave in Swansea connects the Welsh city to the sacrifices
of Australia, and his story — from Gallipoli to Danygraig — remains a lasting
testament to the bonds of service, memory, and honour across the Commonwealth.
Comments
Post a Comment