FUNNELL, Arthur Harold
| Service Number: | 2409 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 February 1916, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 50th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Norwood, South Australia, 11 March 1894 |
| Home Town: | Norwood (SA), South Australia |
| Schooling: | Grote Street School, Adelaide High Scool, University of Adelaide |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Noreuil, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France, 2 April 1917, aged 23 years |
| Cemetery: |
Noreuil Australian Cemetery, Picardie F 42, |
| Memorials: | Adelaide High School Great War Honour Board, Adelaide National War Memorial, Adelaide South Australian Railways WW1 & WW2 Honour Boards, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Norwood Primary School Honour Board, Rose Park Congregational Church Great War Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Feb 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2409, 50th Infantry Battalion, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Sep 1916: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Private, 2409, 50th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Commonwealth embarkation_ship_number: A73 public_note: '' |
|
| 20 Mar 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2409, 50th Infantry Battalion, The Outpost Villages - German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line | |
| 2 Apr 1917: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2409, 50th Infantry Battalion, Noreuil, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2409 awm_unit: 50 Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-04-02 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
THE LATE LANCE-CORPORAL A. H.
FUNNELL.
News has been received that Lance-Corporal Arthur Harold Funnell, youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. H. B. Funnell, of Elizabeth-street, Norwood, was killed in action in France on April 2. He was 23 years of age, and from his enrolment as a cadet had taken an interest in military affairs. He attained the rank of signal-corporal in the 79th Battalion, Norwood. He enlisted in February, 1916, and after spending seven months at Mitcham sailed for England with reinforcements for the 50th Battalion on September 21, 1916, holding the rank of company-sergeant-major. After about a week in England he was sent to France. As a youth he gave great promise of winning the High School Scholarship at Norwood at the age of 12, and subsequently a University scholarship as dux of the high school. After leaving the University he was employed in the reading department of "The Advertiser." Later he entered the service of Messrs. Gibbs, Bright, & Co., and at the time of his enlistment was employed in the railway clerical department at Islington. He was of an unassuming and cheerful disposition.
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Born on 11 March 1894, he was a son to Horace Barnes Funnell and Alice Kate Funnell, of 64, Fisher St., Norwood, South Australia. He was educated at that high school on Grote Street and then also under took study at the University of Adelaide. At his time of enlistment he was single and stated his religion was Christadelphian. He was living in Norwood and was working as a clerk quite possibly for the South Australian Railways.
At his time of enlistment on 17 January 1916 he had previously served with the 79th (Torrens) Infantry Regiment for 3 and a half years and the Senior Cadets for 1 year. He was allocated to Mitcham Camp as a private and soon he attended a month long musketry school course. Afterwards the months passed with him been transferred to the 4th Reinforcements of the 50th Battalion in June 1916, and in August he was transferred to the 5th Reinforcements. Most probably because of his previous service when he embarked with the 5th Reinforcements of the 50th Battalion he had the rank of Acting Sergeant.
His embarkation occurred at Adelaide on HMAT Commonwealth (A73) on 21 September 1916. He disembarked at Plymouth on 14 November 1916 and proceeded to Codford where he joined a Training Battalion which introduced him to the concept of Trench Warfare which he would face on the Western Front. Upon arriving at Codford on 14th November 1916 he was reverted to the rank of Private but two days later promoted to Provisional Sergeant.
After training finished on 12 December 1916 he left England bound for France. Here at Base in Etaples he stayed for several days before been marched out of camp where he joined the 50th Battalion on 19 December 1916. On 27 December 1916 he was reverted back to the rank of private but then promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal. He was allocated to 'D' Company of the 50th Battalion.
Lance Corporal Arthur Funnell was Killed in Action during the Attack on Noreuil, France, on the 2nd of April 1917. The 50th Battalion came under rather stiff resistance during the attack and suffered the heaviest number of officers and men killed during an action that the 50th Battalion partook in. Despite, heavy losses, however, the attack was successful.
Lance Corporal Funnell was buried in Noreuil Australian Cemetery. He was 23 years old.
British War Medal: 48172
Victory Medal: 47602
Memorial Plaque: 316886
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