People Australia

Horace Ratcliff, n.d.

Horace Henry Ernest Ratliff (1893-1969) labourer, tally clerk, gaoled Communist

Birth: 1894 at Gundagai, New South Wales, son of Susannah Ratliff, later Murphy (1877-1950). Marriage: 1962 at Hurstville, Sydney, to native-born Marjorie Monaro Hewison (1901-1990). They had no children. Death: 31 December 1969 in the Repatriation General Hospital at Concord; usual residence Camden Road, Douglas Park. Religion: none. 

• His mother married Philip Charles Murphy (1864-1948) in 1898 at Gundagai and had nine more children between 1899 and 1918.
• Horace was a general labourer when he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 27 February 1915 at Liverpool, Sydney. He served with the 18th Battalion at Gallipoli and was wounded in action serving with the 18th Battalion in France on 20 November 1916. He rejoined his regiment in Belgium in October 1917, returned to Australia in April 1919 and was discharged in Sydney on 1 July 1919.
• Occupation in electoral roll in 1935, when he lived at Bexley, was motor driver. He was also proprietor and publisher of the Torch, a local newspaper. In later electoral rolls he was described as a labourer. On his death certificate he was described as a tally clerk.
• Member of the Communist Party of Australia. At the outbreak of World War II he and Max Thomas were jailed for five months for possession of Communist literature and following their release both men were interned without trial by the Menzies government.
• Undertook a hunger strike and won support from trade unions nationally which organised a 24-hour stoppage for their release.
• Cause of death: cerebro-vascular accident, cerebral embolus and atrial fibrillation. Funeral service conducted by Max Thomas.

Sources
Tribune (Sydney), 14 January 1970 p.11; 12 November 1980, p 11; Malcolm Henry Ellis, The Garden path (Sydney, 1949).