William John Ranger
1897 - 18 May Posted to the Depot
1897 - 26 July Posted to the 1st Battalion
1897 - 9 Oct. - Awarded 3rd Class Army Certificate of Education
1898 - 9 Nov. Shipped to India
1899 - 9 Nov. Posted to the 2nd Battalion
1900 - 12 Oct. - Awarded 2nd Class Army Certificate of Education.
Undated (1900 ?)(Medallion) Pte. W. Ranger, Welsh Rgt.: BAYONET vs BAYONET Royal Military Tournament - ?
1901 - 26 Sep. Appointed unpaid Lance Corporal.
1901 - (Medallion) L.Corporal W. Ranger, Welsh Regt.: BAYONET vs SWORD - Poona
1901 - (Medallion) L.Corporal W.Ranger, Welsh Regt.: BAYONET vs BAYONET - Poona
1902 - 7 Feb - Awarded 1st Class Certificate of Gymnastics
1902 - 12 May - Appointed paid Lance Corporal.
1904 - 20 July - Promoted to Corporal.
1904 - (Medallion) Cpl. W. Ranger, Welsh Regt.: BEST MAN AT ARMS Royal Military Tournament - Quetta
1906 - 2 June - Appointed paid Lance Sergeant.
1906 - (Medallion) Sgt. W. Ranger: BAYONET vs BAYONET - Quetta
1906 - (Medallion) Sgt. W. Ranger: BAYONET vs SWORD - Quetta
1906 - (Medallion) Sgt. W. Ranger: BEST MAN AT ARMS Royal Naval and Military Tournament - Quetta
1906 - (Medallion) Sgt. W. Ranger: RANGER - HALL FIGHT - Belgaum (Presented by Sergeants, 1st Leics. Regt.)
1906 (Small cup) S.Sgt. W. Ranger: MIDDLE-WEIGHT (boxing) India
1906 (Large cup) S.Sgt. W. Ranger, Welsh Regt.: MIDDLEWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP OF INDIA
1906 - 5 Oct. - 2nd Battalion Welsh Regt. transferred from Quetta, India to South Africa.
190? - (Medallion) Sgt. W. Ranger,Welsh Regt.: BAYONET vs LANCE - Umballa
1906 - (Gold Medallion) Sgt. W. Ranger: BEST MAN AT ARMS Bloemfontein S.D. Military Tournament (Presented by General R.B. Allason)
1907 - 19 Mar. - Promoted to Sergeant
1908 - 2 velvet Rugby Caps - one with Welsh Regt. insignia, the other marked “O.R.C. 1908”
1910 - 21 March - 2nd Battalion Welsh Regt. returns to the UK.
1911 - 30 April - Awarded 1st Class Physical Training Certificate.
1911 - Photograph shows the 2nd Battalion on “The Roodee” in Chester. Thought to be on R & R from strike duty in Pembroke Dock, Wales. (Wife, Olive Victoria was born in Pembroke Dock. They could have met there. 1912 - 1 Feb. - Awarded 1st Class Army Certificate of Education.
1912 - (Medallion) Sgt. W. Ranger, Welsh Regt.: SWORD vs SWORD, Western Command Tournament - No location given - probably UK.
1912 - 6 Dec. - Qualified as Instructor in Physical Training.
1913 - Based at Maindy Barracks, Newport, north of Cardiff
1913 - 28 April - Appointed Sergeant Instructor, Army Gymnastic Staff, Naas, Ireland.
1913 - 14 May - First child, Sylvia Victoria Mabel born -given up for adoption - further history unknown.
1913 - 8 August - Married at St Matthew’s parish church, Newport, Monmouthshire.
1914 - 11 February - Appointed to the Indian Unattached List and shipped to India.
1915 - 6 February - Second child, William Charles Walter, born in Poona. (From Register of Baptism)
1915 - 14 June - Discharged, having been appointed to a commission.
1915 - 15 June - Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant, Somerset Light Infantry.
1915 - 15 June - Posted to the 2nd Battalion.
Unrecorded Date - Posted to 1st Battalion
1917 - 1 July - Promoted to Lieutenant.
1917 - 11 Nov. - Third child, Mabel Victoria, born.
1917 - 5 Dec. - Appointed temporary Captain.
1918 Serving as Commandant, School of Physical and Bayonet Training, Poona, India. (Source: Army List 1918)
1919 - 6 May - Afghanistan Campaign till 30 Sept. 1919
1919 - 30 Sept. - Returned to UK. (1st Battalion Somerset Light Infantry posted to Hollywood Barracks, Belfast, Ireland 27 Sept. 1919 - Nov. 1923)
1920 Listed as Lieutenant, Somerset Light Infantry in Army List 1920.
1920 - (Medallion) Lieut. W. Ranger, 1st Som. L.I.: WINNER, OFFICERS MIDDLEWEIGHT Irish Command Boxing Tournament - ?
1920 - (Medallion) WINNING TEAM Irish Command Boxing Tournament
1921 - 12 March - Retired and granted honorary rank of Captain. Living in Bristol.
RANKS HELD: Welsh Regiment
Private, Lance Corporal, Corporal, Sergeant, Staff Sergeant.
Somerset Light Infantry
Lieutenant, Captain
MEDALS:
Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
1914-1915 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Civillian History:
1921 - 1923 - Lived in Bristol (41 Witchell Road, Redfield, BRISTOL) before moving to Bath (15 Widcombe Parade, BATH) where he ran a fish & chip or grocers shop before coming to WA.1923 - 23 June - Arrives as immigrant to Western Australia on the ship “Diogenes” from London, 3rd class., via Albany.
1924 - 7 March Wife, Olive Victoria and children, William Charles Walter and Mabel Victoria arrive in Western Australia.
1924 - WA Group Land Settlement Scheme - Busselton District Office. Post Office records show location as “Group 64, Rail to Margaret River and thence 15 mile by motor” . Postal Address: Margaret River (West side of Margaret Road) Local Identification: Arumvale
1928 Living at 100 Queen Victoria St. Fremantle.
1928 Fourth child, Leslie Bernard, born.
1930 - 27 March - Fifth child, Freda Kathleen Margaret, born.
1933 - 16 March - Sixth child, Jacqueline, born.
1934 - 27 November - Sixth child, Jacqueline, dies.
1935 Address recorded as 36 Barnett Street Fremantle
1935 - 1 October - Dies of heart failure in Fremantle Hospital
1935 - 3 October - Buried in Fremantle Cemetery at 4.00 pm. (Prosser Scott) Aged 54 years.