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Cenotaph record

Ralph Cecil Riseborough

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Wedding portrait, Ralph in uniform and Mavis holding a bouquet with galdioli flowers, 1944 (kindly provided by family) - This image may be subject to copyright

Wedding portrait, Ralph in uniform and Mavis holding a bouquet with galdioli flowers, 1944 (kindly p …

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Ralph Cecil AWMM
  • Surname
    Riseborough AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    Ralph Mason-Riseborough AWMM
  • Service number
    5916 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion
    Anglican, Christian AWMM

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    10 December 1911 AWMM Hastings, Hawkes Bay AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
    Pre 1 November 1939 AWMM C/o Post Office, Te Akau, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Mrs Barbara Ellen Riseborough (mother), Greenmeadows, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Pre 5 January 1940 AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
  • Campaign
    • North Africa AWMM
    • Greece AWMM
    • 1941 Crete AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    5916 AWMM
  • Military service
    1 year with Hawke's Bay Territorial Regiment, 1938 AWMM
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
    WW2 1 November 1939 AWMM
    Age 27 AWMM
    Telegraphist/Civilian AWMM
    Hamilton, Waikato AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    • Height, Unknown Period AWMM
      5 feet 8 inches AWMM
    • Eye colour, Unknown Period AWMM
      Blue AWMM
    • Hair colour, Unknown Period AWMM
      Black AWMM
    • Died of Disease, Cause of Death AWMM
      Bronchopneumonia & dementia AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Husband of Mavis Riseborough nee Henry, married 1944

    "The first wireless task of any importance fell to A Section when a detachment manned by Signalmen Riseborough, Moran and Browne accompanied Lieutenant-General R. N. O'Connor, Commander of Western Desert Force, on an extensive reconnaissance of the forward areas, during which they covered 400 miles of desert in nine days. In the neighbourhood of Buqbuq, near the Libyan frontier, the small party was attacked by three Italian planes; this so incensed Browne that he leaped from the truck and fired three shots with his rifle, an action which he claimed was the first by a New Zealander against the enemy in Africa." (Borman, C. (1954). Divisional Signals, p. 47)

    Headstone text: Ralph C. Mason-Riseborough. 2 Div. Sigs. 2 NZEF AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    29 July 2001 AWMM
    Age 89 AWMM
    Beach Haven, Auckland AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Died of Disease AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    North Shore Memorial Park and Crematorium (Schnapper Rock), Albany, North Shore City, New Zealand AWMM Row E, RSA Section AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
    Births, Deaths and Marriages (New Zealand) Historical Records online
    https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz
    Sources Used
  • References
    • Borman, C. (1954). Divisional Signals. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 1 (Embarkations to 31st March, 1940). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      WW2 1: WW2 153 AWMM
    • Information kindly provided by family AWMM

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