Portrait of 1406 Sergeant (Sgt) Francis Rattigan, 50th Battalion from Glandore, South Australia. ...

Portrait of 1406 Sergeant (Sgt) Francis Rattigan, 50th Battalion from Glandore, South Australia. A 22 year old striker prior to enlisting on 25 November 1914, he embarked for overseas as a Private with the 2nd Reinforcements of the 10th Battalion from Melbourne on 2 February 1915 aboard HMAT Clan McGillivray. While serving with the 10th Battalion at Gallipoli, he was taken ill and evacuated to Malta for medical treatment and then returned to Gallipoli after recovering. He transferred to the 50th Battalion in Egypt on 2 April 1916 and went with them to France in June 1916. After being promoted to Lance Corporal on 30 July 1916, he was wounded in action near Albert, France on 15 August 1916 but recovered and returned to the 50th Battalion a month later. He was promoted to Corporal on 4 July 1917 and to Temporary Sergeant on 13 September 1917. Sgt Rattigan was killed in action at Broodseinde Ridge, Belgium on 17 October 1917 and is buried in the Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, Belgium. His older brother, 1407 Lance Corporal Peter Rattigan enlisted on the same day and continued to serve with the 10th Battalion until he was killed in action near Pozieres on 22 August 1916. He is commemorated on the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux, France with others who have no known grave.