Rockless Joseph Boardman

  General Notes:

WW1 Embarkation Record
Boardman, Rockley Joseph
Service Number: R1559
Rank/Calling: Private
Unit: 43 Infantry Battalion - 1 to 6 Reinforcements (June-December 1916)
Ship Name: HMAT Berrima
Ship Number: A35
Date of Embarkation: 16/12/1916
Place of Embarkation: Adelaide

Boardman, Rockley Joseph
Number: 4559
Rank: Lance Corporal [L Cpl]
Unit: 43rd Battalion AIF
Service: Army
Conflict: 1914-1918
Date of Death: 01/09/1918
Place of Death:
Cause of Death:
Memorial Panel: 136
Cemetery or Memorial Details: 26 Villers Bretonneux-France
Next Of Kin:
Place Of Enlistment: Mount Gambier, SA
Native Place:
Notes: BOARDMAN, Lce. Cpl. Rockley Joseph, 4559. 43rd Bn. 1st Sept., 1918.
Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army

The Age, Saturday, September 21. 1918.
BOARDMAN - Killed in action in France on the 1st Sep, No. 4559, Lance-Corporal Rockley J. Boardman, 43 Battalion, A.I.F. beloved husband of Gertrude M. Boardman. Duty nobly done.
-Inserted by his loving wife G.M.Boardman (nee Gadd) “Stafford”. 61 Mailing Road, Canterbury.

The Age, Melbourne, Tuesday. September 24. 1918.
Faraway on the field of battle,
Rained by shot and shell;
Ever ready to the call of duty,
Our brave brother fell.
Calm and peacefully he is sleeping,
Laid by other comrades true;
And when the roll is called in heaven,
Our Rock will answer, too.
He went with hopes of returning,
Along with his comrades brave,
But many a hero is lying,
In a soldier’s grave.
-Inserted by his sorrowing sister, Myrtle.

The Age, Melbourne, Thursday, September 26. 1918.
BOARDMAN - Officially reported killed in action, in France, on 1st September, No 4559 - Lance-Corporal Rockless Joseph BOARDMAN, 43rd Battalion, A.I.F, dearly loved third son of Alfred BOARDMAN, late A.I.F, and the late Ellen BOARDMAN, and loving brother of Fred, Myrtle, Naida, Delcie, Silvester, late of Mount Gambier, South Australia. R.I.P.


Rockley Joseph Boardman enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on the 26/10/1914, he was in the Light Horse Unit. Rockley was a Labourer and his next of kin was Miss M Boardman, 3 De Fire, N. Richmond. On the Certificate of Medical Examination Rockley is described as being - 21 years and 7 months, height - 5 feet 8 and a half inches, chest measurement - 40 inches, complexion - fresh, eyes - blue, hair - dark brown and religious denomination - Church of England. His distinctive marks were a birth mark on right shoulder. Rockley was discharged on the 27/1/1915 for refusing to be inoculated.
Rockley must have had a change of mind as he again joined in Jan 1915 and this time his next of kin was Mrs Gertie Boardman, Maling Road, Canterbury, Vic. He was sworn in on 7/2/1916 and his Medical Examination states that he was 23 years and 9 months, weight 13 stone 6 pounds and he had distinctive marks of 4 vaccinations left arm. While he was training at Broadmeadows Camp he was charged on the 9/1/1915 with wilful disobedience’s of orders and was punished with 5 days C.B.
On the 25/3/1916 he embarked Adelaide per H.M.A.T. “Shropshire” He was admitted to hospital at Abbassia and also on a Train at Tel-el-Kebir with Bacillary Dysentery On the 22/7/1916 he returned per “Port Sydney” from Egypt . Disembarked at Melbourne and spent 3 months in a medical Unit. He had lost weight and was 28 pounds below his ordinary weight, however he regained his weight and became it again. On the 4/12/1916 he returned to duty
He re-embarked at Adelaide on the Berrima on 16/12/1916 and disembarked Devon port 16/2/1917. During the voyage he was admitted to hospital for 3 days.
He served in France and on the 18/8/1917 he was promoted to Lance Corporal
Rockley was killed in action on 1/9/1918 His wife received the Star, British War and Victory Medal.

  Noted events in his life were:

• Occupation: Labourer.

Rockless married Gertrude Maria (Gertie) Gadd, daughter of Alfred Burton Gadd and Grace Victoria Buck, in 1915 in Victoria Australia. (Gertrude Maria (Gertie) Gadd was born in 1890 in Warragul, Victoria Australia and died on 5 Dec 1925 in Sale, Victoria Australia.)