Charles Edward ‘Eddie’ Rudolph

RUDOLPH, Charles Edward -‘Eddie’- – – – SPC 1909-1911

DoB:- – 1894, Stanley, near Beechworth, VIC

Father:- – Charles Edward Rudolph

Mother:- – Selina Catherine, nee Crameri

Eddie Rudolph was a boarder at St Patrick’s. He was a fine student, attaining creditable marks in the Federal Public Service Examinations in 1911. His results were published in the College Annual of 1911: Mathematics 80, French 66, Writing 75, Dictation 93, English 77, Arithmetic 93, Geography 64, History 60.

Many former students kept in contact with the College, and a letter from Eddie Rudolph was published in the Annual of 1911:

-‘-¦ I have settled down to life in earnest. I have now got into the run of the work in the office and I rather like it. I am in the office of Births, Deaths and Marriages, and arithmetic seems to be the qualification for that office, and a slight knowledge of geography is also needed. All the arithmetic is long and cross tots. Sometimes, they are one hundred long by about fifty across, but the general run is fifty deep and somewhere about ten or fifteen across. I met Willie Maher down here, and the other morning I was surprised to see Eddie Horan at the counter on our floor. It seems that he has secured a position on the census. Sigismund Rabl is staying out in Carlton. I am boarding at a very nice place out here, and there are five other boarders beside myself. Only one of those is a Catholic, and he is a very good one. Of the other boys there is very little to say. They seem very agreeable, but not one of them has ventured near a church since I have been here -¦’

Service No:- 8428

Rank:- – Sapper

Unit:- – 1st Division Signal Company

Eddie Rudolph enlisted on 9 September 1915. He was 20 years and 11 months old, five feet, nine inches tall, and had a sallow complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He was a single man who worked as a Commonwealth public servant.

He embarked on the Euripides, landing in Egypt on 9 May 1916, where he joined the Engineers Training Depot. He proceeded to England in mid-August, and arrived at Parkhouse for further training.

Sapper Rudolph proceeded overseas on 19 January 1917 to Etaples, France where he was taken on strength at the 1st Divisional Signal Company. On 18 February he was admitted to hospital in the field sick with measles. He was transferred to the Casualty Clearing Station (CCS), as his condition worsened and developed into broncho-pneumonia. Sapper Eddie Rudolph died of disease on 22 February 1917 at the 38th CCS in France. He was 22 years old.

His effects were sent home to his father, and included an identity disc, pocket book, brooch, cigarette case, nail file, two 50 Centimes notes, wallet, leather case, cards, photos, four coins, Signalling Certificate, letter, cigarette cards.

He was buried at Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L’abbe, France.

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