Born in 1889 at The Grove Stratford, son of Charles (Fruiterer/Greengrocer) and Henrietta Kipping. 1891: With his family at 13 Upton Lane, West Ham. 1896: His mother Henrietta died. 1901: With his family including Step Mother Alice, at 1 Alma Villas, Primrose Road, South Woodford. He later emigrated to Australia where he lived in Boulder City Perth, and worked as a Farmer.
He joined the Australian Army, signing on at Blackboy Hill for overseas service during 15th June 1915, and was allocated to the 7th Reinforcements for 16th Infantry Battalion. In due course he was posted to Gallipoli. During the night of 6th August 1915, 16 Battalion, with the rest of 4 Brigade were preparing for the attack on the peaks Chunuk Bair, Hill Q and Hill 971 of the range of hills at Gallipoli. 4 Brigade and 16 Infantry Battalion would tackle Hill 971.
Unfortunately the plan was compromised by moving troops at night over difficult terrain with deficient maps. Though the base of the hills was secured there were delays in moving the main attacking force into position, and 4 Brigade were harried by small groups of enemy troops. By dawn they had failed to get near their objective, were disorientated and the men drained. 7th August 1915 was spent resting and consolidating.
The attack began on 8th August 1915. It was intended to gain a spur called Adbel Rahman Bair before moving along it towards Hill 971, but failed because 4 Division was attacked by Turkish machine guns while advancing over open ground. They were forced back having sustained many casualties. When the little ground that had been won was retaken in a massive Turkish counter attack on 10th August 1915, the allies pulled back further and stalemate set in. Ralph Kipping was reported missing after the fighting on 8th August 1915 and his remains, like those of his brother Frederick, were not recovered from the battlefield. His brother Henry William Kipping (discharged from the Army due to injury) lived at 61 Grove Hill South Woodford during and after the war. This is a likely source of Ralph’s name (along with that of his brother Frederick) appearing on the Parish Church Memorial. Both Ralph and Frederick are commemorated at the base of the cross on the family gravestone at the City of London Cemetery.
Research by Adiran Lee, Local Historian
Principal Sources:
Ancestry.com
Australian National Archives & War Memorial