Ronald Cousin (1890-1969)
Item
Dublin Core
Type
Title
Contributor
Date
Publisher
Format
Language
World War One Veterans Item Type Metadata
Name
Birth Date
Birthplace
Service Number
Enlistment Date
Next of Kin
Mother
Address at time of Enlistment
Footscray, Victoria
Occupation
Marital Status
Death Date
Place of Burial
Fawkner, Victoria, Australia
Biographical Text
[Listed on RSL Honor Board as Cousens, R.;
Listed on Wyndham Presbyterian Church Honor Roll Board as Cousins, R.; and
Listed on the Engbrigtsen/Werribee Presbyterian Church as Cousins, R. but is believed to be Ronald Cousin].
Ronald Cousin was born in 1890 in Williamstown, Victoria, the son of Annie and James. He had two older brothers:
- Thomas Canning Crocket Cousin
- James Martin Cousin
War Service
Ronald Cousin enlisted in the AIF on 15 September 1914 at Werribee. He enlisted in the 2nd Brigade, 8th Battalion, 1st Reinforcement and was part of the Headquarters staff of the unit, with his training carried out at Broadmeadows.
His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A32 Themistocles on 22 December 1914.
He arrived in Egypt where he was then transferred to 2nd Brigade, 7th Battalion.
Ronald was wounded in action at the Dardanelles 15 May 1915. Was admitted to hospital in Cairo and then transferred to a convalescent camp on 20 June 1915.
On 1 August 1916, he embarked for England from Alexandria on board the HT Lake Manitoba. He took on a position within the Central Registry, AIF London Headquarters. He remained there for the next four years.
On 16 January 1920, notification from AIF Base Records Melbourne was sent to his mother advising her that Sergeant Ronald Cousin was promoted to Warrant Officer (Class II) in the AIF.
Ronald returned to Australia on the Narkunda on 21 August 1920 and was discharged on 17 October 1920.
Post War
The Werribee Census had Ronald Cousin was listed as a railway employee living at the Racecourse Hotel in Werribee.
He married Emily Edith Williams on 7 June 1930 in Victoria. They had two children during their marriage.
Australian Electoral Rolls 1931 have Ronald and Emily living in McLeod Road Carrum and Ronald is still employed in the railway. 1942 has them both in Evans Street, Sunbury and 1949 has them at 363 Point Nepean Road, Mentone (railway employee).
Ronald died on 12 September 1969 in Heidelberg, Victoria, at the age of 79, and was buried in Fawkner, Victoria.
Medals and Entitlements:
- 1914/15 Star
- British War Medal
- Victory Medal
Notes
The name Cousens, Sgt. R. first appeared in the Roll of Honor,Werribee Shire Banner, 30 August 1917, p.1.
There are four Cousens listed in the National Archives of Australia and the AIF project who enlisted in Victoria. There are 21 Cousins listed in the AIF Project and 27 in the National Archives of Australia. Whilst the name Cousens appears in the Werribee Shire Banner's Roll of Honor and on the RSL Honor Board, no soldier could be found with the surname who had any link to Werribee.
Bibliography
National Archives of Australia
http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/NameSearch/Interface/NameSearchForm.aspx
Trove - newspapers
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/search?adv=y
AIF Project
https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/
Ancestry
https://www.ancestrylibrary.com.au/
Australian Electoral Rolls
Comments