Ralph Leslie Mann was born in Banff, Aberdeenshire. He joined the Port Adelaide soccer club soon after his arrival in Adelaide. At 5’10” and over 12 stone he was larger than the average player of his day and it is not surprising that he formed part of Port’s crack half back line, along with fellow Scot Jock Wallace, that was the backbone of their league winning sides in 1911 and 1912. He once turned out in goal for Port reserves and was named “best on ground”.
Mann had served in the Territorials in Scotland and was quick to enlist in the AIF, joining up in December 1914. He was 27 and a carpenter. He went to Gallipoli with reinforcements for the 10th Battalion and was wounded twice. He recovered from both wounds and arrived in France in 1916 after transferring to the 50 th Battalion. As the Germans retreated to the Hindenburg line the Allies followed up.
The Australians attacked Noreuil on 2 April 1917, and Ralph Mann was fatally wounded by a shell. He died in a field hospital the next day.