SANDRY, Arthur Henry
| Service Number: | 1984 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 15 February 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 34th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Millthorpe, New South Wales, Australia, 1892 |
| Home Town: | Millthorpe, Blayney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 16 July 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Blayney and Milthorpe District Roll of Honor, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient), Millthorpe Public School Honor Roll, Wellington Cenotaph, Wellington Hall of Memory Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 15 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1984, 54th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Jun 1916: | Involvement Private, 1984, 54th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Barambah embarkation_ship_number: A37 public_note: '' | |
| 23 Jun 1916: | Embarked Private, 1984, 54th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Barambah, Sydney | |
| 16 Jul 1917: | Involvement Private, 1984, 34th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1984 awm_unit: 34th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-07-16 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
The Sandry brothers, Thomas Stephen, Clarence James and Arthur Henry, all from Millthorpe NSW, joined up in the 54th Battalion AIF and were issued consecutive regimental numbers 1982, 1983, 1984. They all subsequently were transferred to the 34th Battalion in England during September 1916. Their parents were Richard and Sarah Sandry, longtime residents of Millthorpe NSW, who had before the war already lost 2 sons in 1910, one only 11 years old and then a 16-year-old son in a shooting accident. Their eldest daughter died of illness in 1914. They would lose another two sons during WW1.
Arthur Sandry was wounded at Messines by barb wire, no details but it was classified as a non-battle wound. His death a month later is given a full account of in his Red Cross wounded and missing file and is corroborated in the unit war diary. ‘At Messines, on the 16 July 1917, the 34th Battalion was faced by a German strong point or position that was holding up our attack, and was causing our forces grave inconvenience. Something had to be done to reduce it. After grave consideration of the risks, a raid on the position was resolved on. Lieutenant George Edward HODGES was appointed to conduct it, forty-five men constituted the whole attacking force, among them being young SANDRY. The risks were so great that the attack assumed almost the aspect of a forlorn hope, yet something had to be done.
A Strong barrage was ordered, but unfortunately, few, if any of the shells fell on the strongest point. Thus, when the men attacked, they were confronted with practically intact German Trenches, with several Machine guns raking the attack from several points, and as they neared the trench, they found the Germans lining it shoulder to shoulder. The distance between the trenches was some 30 to 40 yards. One Machine Gun in special was giving them trouble, and Lieutenant: 777 George Edward HODGES and SANDRY rushed it together and bombed it out of action. At that moment SANDRY fell riddled with bullets, right on the enemy's parapet, within 5 yards of the gun.
At the time the supply of bombs had run out, and no means was possible to bring up fresh supplies so the word was passed for the survivors to get back the best they could, and the remnants crept and crawled down ditches back to their own trenches amid a hail of bullets, appalling even to think of. The position was stormed later by a considerable force, and captured, re-taken by the Germans, and re-captured and held by the Australians. Then SANDRY, whose body had lay in sight for a month received a decent burial’. W Alison, London. 3rd June 1918.
Arthur’s brother, 1982 Pte Thomas Stephen Sandry, 34th Battalion had been killed in action, 19 March 1917. His surviving brother Clarence was with Arthur when he was killed, and wrote to his parents about it. Clarence was never returned to the firing line having had 2 brothers killed, and was returned to Australia in early 1918.
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