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UNDERWOOD, Arthur John
| Service Number: | 2884 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 28 September 1916, Enlisted at Adelaide, SA |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Palmer, South Australia, 22 July 1890 |
| Home Town: | Tungkillo, Mid Murray, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | 3 April 1976, aged 85 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Tungkillo Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Mount Pleasant Roll of Honor, Tungkillo Memorial Wall, Tungkillo Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 28 Sep 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2884, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Enlisted at Adelaide, SA | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec 1916: | Involvement Private, 2884, 43rd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '18' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Berrima embarkation_ship_number: A35 public_note: '' | |
| 16 Dec 1916: | Embarked Private, 2884, 43rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Berrima, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 2884, 42nd Infantry Battalion | |
| 4 Jun 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2884, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Discharged at the 4th Military District as medically unfit due to tuberculosis |
Help us honour Arthur John Underwood's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of Samuel Underwood and Sarah Underwood nee Gregory of Tungkillo, SA. Brother of James Henry Underwood who returned to Australia on 18 September 1919 having served with the 50th Battalion
Commenced return to Australia on 20 November 1918 aboard HT Suevic disembarking on 5 January 1919 at Melbourne for onward travel to Adelaide.
Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
On 5 August 1925 Arthur married Ellen Warner in the St. Johns Church, Mount Pleasant,SA
Biography contributed by Trevor Pyatt
Arthur John Underwood
22 July 1890 – 3 April 1976
Arthur John Underwood was born on 22 July 1890 at Palmer, South Australia, the son of Samuel Underwood and Sarah Underwood (née Gregory). He was raised in the Tungkillo district, where his family were early settlers of the Mid Murray region.
As a young man, Arthur worked as a labourer and lived locally at Tungkillo. Like many of his generation, his early adulthood was shaped by the First World War, during which he enlisted for military service.
Following his return from the war, Arthur resumed life in rural South Australia. On 5 August 1925, at St John's Church, Mount Pleasant, he married Ellen Warner, daughter of Josiah Warner and Jane Matilda Burns. The couple made their home in the Tungkillo district and had two daughters: Marjorie Doreen (born 1927) and Elva Dawn (born 1929).
Tragedy struck the family in 1931. Ellen died on 4 February 1931 at Tungkillo, aged 37.
Just over two months later, their young daughter Marjorie, aged three, died in Adelaide following a severe convulsive illness. These events left Arthur a widower with a young child, Elva Dawn, to raise.
Arthur remained in the district for the rest of his life and was well known in the Tungkillo and Mount Pleasant communities. He did not remarry. In later years, his health was affected by conditions linked to his wartime service.
Arthur John Underwood died on 3 April 1976 at St Louis Private Hospital, Parkside, South Australia, aged 85 years. He was laid to rest at Tungkillo Cemetery, the district with which his life had long been associated.
Military Service
Arthur John Underwood enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 28 September 1916 at Adelaide, South Australia, aged 26. At the time of enlistment he was a labourer residing at Tungkillo.
He served as Private No. 2884 with the 43rd Infantry Battalion, 6th Reinforcement, embarking from Adelaide aboard HMAT Berrima on 16 December 1916. Arthur served on the Western Front during the First World War.
During his service he was admitted to No. 1 Australian Dermatological Hospital at Bulford in March 1918, remaining under treatment for over three months. Later, he was deemed medically unfit for further service due to tubercle of the lung.
Arthur returned to Australia aboard the transport Suevic, disembarking in Melbourne on 5 January 1919, and was subsequently discharged.
For his service, he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
Sources & Evidence -
South Australian Birth Registration
Arthur John Underwood, born 22 July 1890, Palmer (Talunga District), Book/Page 463/86
South Australian Marriage Registration
Arthur John Underwood & Ellen Warner, 5 August 1925, Mount Pleasant, Book/Page 304/338
South Australian Death Registration
Arthur John Underwood, died 3 April 1976, Book/Page 319A/2288
Cemetery Records
Tungkillo Cemetery, burial 4 June 1976, Burial No. 3241
Military Records (National Archives of Australia / AWM)
Service No. 2884, 43rd Battalion
Embarkation Roll (HMAT Berrima, 16 Dec 1916)
Nominal Roll & service file (Western Front service; medical discharge due to tuberculosis)
Family Records
Marriage to Ellen Warner (daughter of Josiah Warner & Jane Matilda Burns)
Children: Marjorie Doreen Underwood (1927–1931), Elva Dawn Underwood (1929–1983)
Notes
Arthur's life was marked by both military service and personal hardship, particularly the loss of his wife and young daughter in 1931. His long residence in the Tungkillo district reflects a strong connection to the Mid Murray community and its early farming families.
Biography by Trevor Pyatt 2/04/2026
Click images to start slideshow.