S2592
OCKENDEN, Arthur Gordon
| Service Number: | 7966 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 11 August 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 7th Field Ambulance |
| Born: | Kooringa, South Australia, 22 April 1885 |
| Home Town: | Burra (SA), Goyder, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Compositor |
| Died: | Natural causes, Southwark, South Australia, 26 November 1927, aged 42 years |
| Cemetery: |
West Terrace Cemetery (General) |
| Memorials: | Burra District WW1 Honor Roll, Hindmarsh Star of Freedom Tent No 4 IOOR WW1 Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 7966, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Oct 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7966, 1st Australian General Hospital, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '23' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Nestor embarkation_ship_number: A71 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Oct 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 7966, 1st Australian General Hospital, HMAT Nestor, Melbourne | |
| 21 Sep 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 7966, 7th Field Ambulance, Shell bruise on right shoulder. remaining at duty. | |
| 1 Oct 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7966, To hospital sick. | |
| 11 Jan 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 7th Field Ambulance, Admitted with Nephritis. Sent to England. | |
| 12 Jan 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7966, Admitted with Nephritis to Exeter War Hospital | |
| 25 Jan 1918: | Transferred Private, 7th Field Ambulance, Transferred to 3rd.AAH.Dartford. | |
| 15 Feb 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 7966, Discharged to No.3. C.D. Hurdcott | |
| 15 Feb 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7966, Marched in to Hurdcott from 3rd.AAH. | |
| 13 Jun 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 7th Field Ambulance, Marched out to overseas training brigade | |
| 13 Jun 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7966, Marched in to overseas training brigade in Longbridge. | |
| 12 Jul 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7966, Marched in from overseas training brigade. To Fovant | |
| 12 Jul 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7966, Marched out to AAMC.T.D.Fovant. | |
| 12 Jul 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 7966, Marched out to No.2 Com.Dep. | |
| 24 Jul 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 7th Field Ambulance, Marched in from Fovant. Returning to Australia with Bronchitis. per "D.21" | |
| 24 Aug 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 7966, 7th Field Ambulance |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Burra Community School .
Arthur Gordon Ockenden was born on the 22nd of April 1885 in Kooringa South Australia, where he also grew up. After leaving school Arthur was employed in the printing office of the ‘Burra Record’ for five years. Then he became an apprentice at J.H. Sherring and sons, for five years before becoming a carpenter. Arthur began his brave journey when he enlisted for the Australian Imperial Force at Adelaide on the 26th of July 1915, at the age of 30 and 8 months. Arthur was ranked private in the 7th field ambulance, and his service number was 7966
Arthur was one of 10 children (2 girls and 8 boys), 5 of his brothers enlisted and served overseas during WW1. One brother (Harold) was killed in action but the other five including Arthur returned home to Australia.
According to Arthur's attestation paper he was 5 feet and 5 and a quarter inch tall, weighing 126 lbs. Arthur was described to have brown hair and grey eyes with a fair complexion.
Arthur embarked from Melbourne on the 11 of October 1915, on the ship called the HMAT Nestor A71. He was hospitalised in early 1916 at the 1st Australian General Hospital in England. In June 1917 he proceeded overseas to France from England reporting to the 1st Auxiliary in the town of Heliopolis. On the 21st of September 1917 Arthur was wounded in action at Flanders Field, with a shell bruise on his right shoulder, the wound was evidently mild so he remained at duty. Arthur went to hospital sick on the 1st of October 1917 and about 3 months later he was admitted with Nephritis. The next day he was transferred to England and arrived there 13 days later. He was then discharged about 20 days after that. Arthur left England on the 24th of August 1918 to return to Australia per hospital transport as he had bronchitis. He reached the military hospital at Torrens Park on the 11 of October 1918 where a medical report was done saying that it was his third time having bronchitis.
Arthur sadly died at the age of 42 on November 25th 1927 at Southwark. He was then buried at the A.I.F cemetery, West Terrace, Adelaide. A news article from the Adelaide chronicle says that Arthur was held in high esteem by a large circle of friends.
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