A Life of Devotion in War and in Peacetime

 The past week has been filled with memorials and tributes to the head of the British Monarchy, the only one most of us have known in our lives. Her life was one of service and dedication.

Today's blog is about another noble person who served his Country in War and in Peace. 

RUSTON GEORGE STEPHENSON

Ruston Stephenson was born in Tumbarumba in regional NSW in 1886 to Ruston and Julia. He joined the NSW Police Force in 1912. 

On 1st August 1916 when he held the rank of Second Class Constable, at almost 30 years of age and 6ft 2 inches, Ruston enlisted in the AIF and served in France as a member of the 58th Battalion. 


Ruston George Stephenson - image from AWM records


During his time in the Army Ruston was wounded in action during the second Battle of Bullecourt in May 1917 sustaining a gunshot wound in the right eye and a further injury in July 1918 with a gunshot wound to the right leg, both injuries requiring hospitalisation in France.

Stephenson was admitted to hospital in Bath England in August 1917 when he contracted trench fever that sent his temperature soaring high. After a few months of treatment and furlough he was sent back to the fighting in France.

Ruston Stephenson was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), regarded as second only to the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry, at the recommendation of Harold "Pompey" Elliott. He received the award "for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during operations north-east of Bellicourt, 29th September-1st October 1918. He worked all night 29th-30th continuously under fire, re-organising parties who were wandering in front of our line, bringing them onto the front trench, and then guiding them across to their position on the left flank. He also brought in a considerable number of wounded men who were lying out in front of the line. Throughout he did excellent work."  


Distinguished Conduct Medal issued during WW1 - AWM records

Ruston was also a renown athlete and represented Australia in the heavyweight division of the International Boxing Tournament held in London after the War at the Royal Albert Hall on 11th December 1918.

Upon his return to Australia, Stephenson rejoined the NSW Police Force, stationed in Newtown, an inner west suburb of Sydney, and was an admired member of the community working in children's sports. 

It was many a person who read the heading in the newspaper "Constable and baby killed. Struck by Motor Cycle. Tragic Accident at Newtown" and were shocked.

On the 8th April 1933, Constable Stephenson travelled with a group of other Police to the Newtown Stadium. They parked the Police vehicle in Erskineville Road and as the Constable stepped out from behind the car he was hit by a passing motorcycle. The cycle was driven by Clarence Adams with passengers in the sidecar being his wife, Elmotte with Mrs Alice Moon carrying her baby daughter, Fay. They were believed to be rushing to the nearest hospital for emergency treatment for Fay. Stephenson sustained severe head injuries, was taken to Prince Alfred Hospital and died the following morning. The baby, Fay Moon, was also killed. After striking the Constable the cycle and sidecar ran into an iron railing, Fay was thrown through the railing and fell onto the hard footpath below. The others suffered severe injuries but survived.  

More than 500 uniformed Polce, including the Commissioner, marched eight abreast behind the Police Band and the Mounted Police, accompanied by a large public presence from George Street Sydney to the Regent Street Mortuary Station. 

There were many eulogies but one from a fellow Police Officer stated "We mourn the loss of a man of high moral worth. he was loved and respected by his comrades for his personal qualities were such as to command true friendship." 

Ruston George Stephenson is buried in the Old Anglican area of the Cemetery not too far from the unmarked grave of Fay Moon. RIP.


Headstone of Stephenson - courtesy of find-a-grave

A life of devotion to others ended so tragically for all parties involved. Another Police Officer to mourn as we head towards Police Remembrance Day on 29th September. 

There are a number of newspaper reports available online about this tragedy, many found on Trove. The Australian Police website contains information about Constable Stephenson and the NAA war files and AWM hold War service information. 

Please feel free to comment below or at the group Facebook page which can be found by a search at  

rookwoodcemeterydiscoveries


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Mother for All!

Image
  As we approach Mother's Day here in Australia, let's reflect upon a mother who fought to make every mother's life better. A woman, who in times where men would drink their weekly wages, leaving almost nothing for his family to be fed and clothed on, fought hard to make a difference. EUPHEMIA BRIDGES BOWES Euphemia was born in Edinburgh Scotland in 1816, the daughter of Joseph Allen and his wife Eliza. She was self-educated, an activity rare for a young girl at the time, teaching herself both to read and write. She arrived in Sydney in 1838, classified as a "house servant ” and on the 13th of September 1842 she married John Bowes, a baker, with Wesleyan Methodist rites at Parramatta. John had arrived in Sydney the previous year and moved to Parramatta, where besides his everyday position, he continued his work as a Wesleyan lay teacher. They resided in Sydney before making a move to Wollongong in 1848 when John was accepted into the Ministry. Euphemia bore elev...
Read more

Accidents do happen!

Image
 As you meander amongst the headstones in the older part of Rookwood there are many graves that mention -"accidently drowned, accidently killed etc." and it reminds us of a time when Occupational Health and Safety did not exist. Employment, especially the manual work that attracted a higher wage, came with many risks to health as well as and life and limb.  Today's blog is about a slightly different kind of accident, one still quite shocking but one that is a little more unusual. WILLIAM MOON  William Moon was born in Brightling Sussex England, on the 5th of November 1829, one of sixteen children to Jesse Moon and his wife Ann. Remarkably only two children died in infancy, the rest living to adulthood.   His father, Jesse, came to Australia with his family, his wife and eight children, as an assisted immigrant in 1839 onboard the vessel the Prince Regent. William was ten years of age, and the family settled into life in the Redfern area.  William married Ha...
Read more

A close connection to the new King's name sake

Image
 It's been a tumultuous week and from the passing of Queen Elizabeth II it seemed only fitting to honour the life of a man calling Rookwood "home" who has astonishing connections to the British Royal Family. WRIOTHESLEY AUGUSTUS FITZROY  Wriothesley (perhaps it was shortened to Roy?) was born in Dublin Ireland on 11 July 1837 to Henry Fitzroy and his wife Jane Elisabeth nee Beauclerk. He was the second son in a family consisting of five siblings and rose to the rank of Captain in the 23rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers. It is very likely he took part in the Lucknow uprising during the Indian Mutiny in 1857-1859.  Royal Welsh Fusiliers Cap Badge - Wikipedia Before I continue, I want to advise you of his family connections. Wriothesley's father Henry, was the son of the Reverend Henry Fitzroy. This Henry was the son of Augustus Henry Fitzroy the 3rd Duke of Grafton and his second wife, Elizabeth Wrottesley - no doubt where Wriothesley's name, albeit altered over the years, c...
Read more