METCALFE, Arthur Charles
| Service Number: | 823 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 55th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, 31 December 1891 |
| Home Town: | Cooks Hill, Newcastle West, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer in the Signalling Branch of the Railways. |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 16 March 1918, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
Somer Farm Cemetery Row B, Grave No. 14 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Cooks Hill St John's Honor Roll, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 823, 36th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 13 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 823, 36th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: '' | |
| 13 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 823, 36th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney | |
| 7 Oct 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 55th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Arthur Charles Metcalfe's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell
Memorialised at Sandgate Cemetery.
102 years ago today, on the 16th March 1918, Private (Bomber) Arthur Charles Metcalfe, 55th Battalion, labourer from 143 Darby Street, Cooks Hill, New South Wales, fell at Messines Ridge, Belgium, age 26.
http://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1647381/
https://www.awm.gov.au/people/rolls/R1493598/
Born at Cooks Hill, New South Wales on the 31st December 1891 to Thomas Abraham (died 1931) and Sophia (died 1898) Metcalfe; husband of Mary Bridget Metcalfe nee Ward (married 20.4.1916) of 41 Bull Street, Cooks Hilll, New South Wales and 18 Council Street, Cooks Hill, N.S.W. and Bridge Street, Branxton, N.S.W., Arthur enlisted February 1916 with the 36th Battalion at Newcastle, N.S.W.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article137107479
Admitted to hospital 13.12.1916 with mumps, Pte Metcalfe is resting at Somer Farm Cemetery, Belgium. Row B Grave 14.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138158617
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article138150657
His name has been inscribed on the Cooks Hill St. John's Anglican Church Honor Roll, Book of Gold and The Capt. Clarence Smith Jeffries (V.C.) and Pte. William Matthew Currey (V.C.) Memorial Wall at Sandgate Cemetery. Name not inscribed on the Cooks Hill Superior Public School Roll of Honour.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139647571
Memorialised at his family’s gravesite at Sandgate Cemetery.
http://sandgate.northerncemeteries.com.au/index.php/war-heroes/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&aso=exact&s_f=id&data_search=443247#photo-1
Arthur's wife Mary re-married 1921 to Edward Lewis, died 1969.
Lest We Forget.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Arthur Charles METCALFE (Service Number 823) was born on 31st December 1891 in Newcastle. He began working with the Railways on 14th September 1914, as a labourer in the Signalling Branch. He remained in this position for just over a year before leaving to join the AIF on 29th January 1916. He was 24-years-old when he enlisted. He embarked from Sydney on 13th May 1916 on HMAT A72 ‘Beltana’, and arrived in Plymouth (England) on 9th July 1916.
After a couple of months in England, he proceeded overseas to France on 22nd September 1916. He arrived in Etaples three days later. On 6th October 1916, he marched in to join his unit, and was taken on strength of the 55th Battalion on the next day. After two months in the field, he was taken to hospital sick on 13th December 1916. He was admitted for mumps. Shortly after, on 14th December, he was transferred to England. He was admitted in Netley on 16th December.
On 6th March 1917, he marched into Perham Downs from furlough. He was classified B1A2 on 25th March. This meant he was considered fit for overseas training camp (in England) in three to four weeks. On 16th April, he was classified again, this time as B1A3, which meant he was fit for overseas training camp in two to three weeks. Shortly after, on 27th April, he was transferred to the 63rd Battalion. He was in Windmill Hill (England) at this time.
By 19th September 1917, he was transferred back to the 55th Battalion, and marched out to the 61st Drafting Battalion. He proceeded overseas to France on 14th October 1917 and marched into Havre on the following day. He joined his Battalion in the field on 26th October.
After almost five months in the field, he was killed in action on 16th March 1918. One account of his death states that:
‘…. during an early morning bombing on 16 March, a shell landed on the trench, killing Metcalfe outright. He was not disfigured, and he was buried about a mile north of Wytschaete’.
This cemetery is now known as Somer Farm Cemetery, and that is the location for Metcalfe’s grave given by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
After his death, his wife was sent some of his personal items, such as a wallet, some letters, and religious medallions. She also received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal for her husband’s service.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.
Click images to start slideshow.