MELLING, Samuel Arnold
| Service Number: | 276 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 31 August 1914 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 1st Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Wigan, England, 25 June 1891 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Illness - Dysentery, His father’s residence – “The Sycamores”, Wigan, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom, 2 March 1916, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Wigan Cemetery Samuel Arnold Melling shares his grave with his mother Margaret Ellen Melling, his father Samuel Melling & 7 other Melling family members., Wigan Cemetery, Wigan, Greater Manchester, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 31 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 276, 1st Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 18 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 276, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Afric embarkation_ship_number: A19 public_note: '' | |
| 18 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 276, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Afric, Sydney | |
| 1 May 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 1st Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Samuel Arnold Melling's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 2nd March…… Samuel Arnold Melling was born at Wigan, Lancashire, England on 25th June, 1891.
According to information provided for the Roll of Honour by Samuel Melling, father of Samuel Arnold Melling, Samuel served for 2 years with the Gloucestershire Yeomanry. He also stated that “Before settling down on a Farm of his own my son was on a ___ tour commencing with Albany, West Australia, working on various farms & having been in Sydney about 12 mos. he was about to pack for New Zealand when war was declared. He offered himself for enlistment at once…”
Arnold Melling enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 31st August, 1914 as a 23 year old, single, Driver from Chisholm Road, Greenarch, NSW.
On 18th October, 1914 Private Arnold Melling, Service number 276, embarked from Sydney, NSW on HMAT Afric (A19) with the 1st Infantry Battalion “B” Company.
He embarked from Alexandria on Minnewaska on 5th April, 1915 to join M.E.F. (Gallipoli Campaign).
Private Arnold Melling was appointed Lance Corporal on 1st May, 1915 at Gallipoli Peninsula.
Lance Corporal Arnold Melling was sent to Hospital at Mudros West on 14th September, 1915 with diarrhoea. He was transferred & admitted to 2nd Stationary Hospital at Mudros on 14th September, 1915. Lance Corporal Melling was transferred to Hospital Ship Aquitania on 18th October, 1915 & embarked for England on the Hospital Ship Aquitania on 21st October, 1915.
He was admitted to 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester, England on 28th October, 1915.
Lance Corporal Arnold Melling died on 2nd March, 1916 at his father’s residence – “The Sycamores”, Wigan, Lancashire, England from Dysentery.
Extract from a Newspaper report from Wigan Observer and District Advertiser – 11 March, 1916:
“The funeral of Lance-Corporal Samuel Arnold Melling, third son of Mr Samuel Melling, J.P., of Wigan, took place on Monday the interment being at the Wigan Cemetery. Lance-Corporal Melling, who died at the family residence, “The Sycamores,” Wigan-lane, Wigan on Thursday morning last week, went out to Australia some three years ago to take up farming, and on the outbreak of war he joined the Australian contingent, coming over with the force whose exploits at the Dardanelles made that part of the Gallipoli Peninsula where they were located, and which became known as Anzac, famous in the annals of the war. After seeing much service there from the very beginning of the operations, Lance-Corporal Melling, who had enlisted as a private and had received promotion, was invalided to this country with dysentery, and for a time he was in hospital at Manchester, but later he was transferred to “The Woodlands” War Hospital at Wigan. Later he was given his furlough, being apparently better, and, after visiting some friends, he came to “The Sycamores.” He had not been home long however, before he was taken worse, being confined to bed, and he died as stated. He was 24 years of age.”
He was buried in Wigan Cemetery, Lower Ince, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, England & has a Private Headstone. His death is still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/wigan.html
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