ANDERSON, Arthur John
| Service Number: | 3452 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wentworth, NSW, November 1890 |
| Home Town: | Belmont, Lake Macquarie Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Sheep Farmer |
| Memorials: | Men from Renmark and District Roll of Honor Boards (4) |
World War 1 Service
| 12 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 3452, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 3452, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Borda, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Corporal, 3452, 10th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
Arthur John Anderson was born in the small town of Wentworth in New South Wales during the October of 1890. He has been described as being of fair complexion and having blue eyes with dark hair, he weighed 194lbs at time of enlistment and was above the average height for the time being 5’ 9”. Before he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, he was a sheep farmer, he also was a Christian being a Methodist. He later moved on to another town in New South Wales called Belmont and he decided to enlist on August 16th, 1915. Despite having no previous military service, he bravely nominated himself for service to our country during its time of need. His mother Emily Anderson was his nominated next-of-kin.
Arthur left Australia for Europe almost 5 months after he enlisted on January 12, 1916, on the HMAT A30 Borda. During his service Arthur fought in multiple battles including the battle of Pozières during the Somme campaign which is known to have included the worst artillery bombardment of any point in the war. During the horrific bloodshed that was the battle of Pozières the ANZACs lost so many men that the number of casualties equated to the same number lost during 8 months of the Gallipoli campaign.
Arthur was promoted to Lance Corporal on the 8th of August 1916. Only 13 days after being promoted to Lance Corporal Arthur was wounded in action on 21st of August 1916, this is due to his participation in a battle at Sausage Valley during the Somme campaign, the injury was a shrapnel wound located in his right hand. Arthur returned to the 10th battalion on the 27th of August 1916.
On the 24th of November 1916 Arthur was temporarily promoted to Corporal and later he was permanently promoted to Corporal on the 1st of March 1917. Arthur was wounded yet again with a shrapnel wound on November 3, 1917, he likely sustained this injury during the third battle of Ypres in Belgium.
After medical attention in France, Arthur was transferred to England for further treatment. However, the injury to his right leg was so severe he was unable to return to battle and was sent back to Australia on June 30, 1918.
After Arthur returned to Australia the information about his life is extremely limited however it is known that he would have received a Victory medal, British war medal and a 1914-15 star and it also known that thanks to a newspaper article about the execution of his will it is known that he unfortunately passed away due to unknown causes on February 1, 1949.
Bibliography
The Australian War Memorial n.d., www.awm.gov.au, Australian War Memorial, viewed 8 April 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/E84367>.
10th Australian Infantry Battalion n.d., www.awm.gov.au, viewed 9 April 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51450#:~:text=The%20battalion>.
Details n.d., www.aif.adfa.edu.au, University of New South Wales, Canberra, viewed 7 April 2024, <https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=4453>.
Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales 1949, ‘RE will of ARTHUR JOHN ANDERSON, late of Woolounda’, 10 June, Sydney, New South Wales, viewed 9 April 2024, <https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/224790360?searchTerm=Arthur%20John%20Anderson>.
Larkins, S 2013, World War 1, vwma.org.au, Virtual War Memorial Australia, viewed 7 April 2024, <https://vwma.org.au/explore/conflicts/2>.
― 2014, Virtual War Memorial, vwma.org.au, Virtual War Memorial Australia.
― 2015, Virtual War Memorial, vwma.org.au, Virtual War Memorial Australia, viewed 8 April 2024, <https://vwma.org.au/explore/campaigns/5>.
The Australian War Memorial 2016, Awm.gov.au, Australian War Memorial, viewed 9 April 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1339170>.
The Australian War Memorial n.d., www.awm.gov.au, viewed 8 April 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1339166>.
Third Battle of Ypres 31 July to 10 November 1917 | Anzac Portal 2022, anzacportal.dva.gov.au, Department of Veteran’s Affairs, viewed 8 April 2024, <https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/ww1/where-australians-served/western-front/third-battle-of-ypres>.
Australian, WM n.d., 10th Battalion Colour Patch, viewed 8 April 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C351493>.
― n.d., AWM4 23/27/9 - July 1916, viewed 8 April 2024, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1355648?image=14>.
― n.d., Pozières, viewed 9 April 2024, <https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/A05776/screen/6089596.JPG>.
― n.d., Town of Pozieres Prior to the War, viewed 10 April 2024, <https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/awm-media/collection/G01534I/screen/6192800.JPG>.
Government, A n.d., 1914-15 Star, viewed 12 April 2024, <https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/honours-awards/medals/imperial-awards/world-war-one/1914-1915-star>.
― n.d., British War Medal, viewed 12 April 2024, <https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/honours-awards/medals/imperial-awards/world-war-one/british-war-medal-1914-20>.
― n.d., Victory Medal, viewed 12 April 2024, <https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/honours-awards/medals/imperial-awards/world-war-one/victory-medal>.