Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland 

Died on this date – 2nd December…… Arthur Benjamin Towers was born in 1884 at Gawler South, South Australia. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 6th March, 1916 as a 32 year old, single, Railway Engine Driver with South Australian Railways from Murray Bridge, South Australia.

Private Arthur Benjamin Towers was posted to “C” Company, 2nd Depot Battalion on 20th March, 1916. He was transferred to Base Engineers at Mitcham as a Sapper on 1st April, 1916. Sapper Towers was then transferred to Engineer Reinforcements 2nd M.D. on 16th May, 1916.

On 7th October, 1916, Sapper Towers embarked from Sydney on HMAT Ceramic (A40) & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 21st November, 1916. He was marched in to Australian Details No. 3 Camp at Parkhouse, Wiltshire on 22nd November, 1916.

Sapper Towers proceeded overseas to France on 20th March, 1917. He was posted to A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot) at Etaples, France on 21st March, 1917 & marched out on 14th April, 1917 to join 2nd Division Engineering.

Australian Engineers in the First World War
Engineers, also known as sappers, were essential to the running of the war. Without them, other branches of the Allied Forces would have found it difficult to cross the muddy and shell-ravaged ground of the Western Front. Their responsibilities included constructing the lines of defence, temporary bridges, tunnels and trenches, observation posts, roads, railways, communication lines, buildings of all kinds, showers and bathing facilities, and other material and mechanical solutions to the problems associated with fighting in all theatres.

(Information from The Australian War Memorial)
Sapper Arthur Towers was wounded in action on 5th May, 1917. He was one of 8 Sappers wounded on that day & was taken to 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station with Shrapnel wounds to his hands. Sapper Towers was transferred by Ambulance Train 31 & admitted to 11th Stationary Hospital at Rouen, France on 6th May, 1917. Sapper Towers was invalided to England on Hospital Ship St David from Rouen on 16th May, 1917 with gunshot wounds to both hands.

He was admitted to Lewisham Military Hospital, England on 17th May, 1917 with gunshot wounds to left hand –severe then transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 12th July, 1917.
On 14th July, 1917 Sapper Towers was sent on furlo until 28th July, 1917 & was then to report to Training Depot at Perham Downs, Wiltshire.
Sapper Arthur Towers was marched in from furlo at Perham Downs on 28th July, 1917 & medically classified as B1 A (Fit for light duty only – 4 weeks).
On 25th August, 1917 Sapper Towers proceeded back to France & was marched in to A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot) at Rouelles, France on 26th August, 1917. Sapper Towers was marched out to 7th Field Company Engineers on 29th August, 1917 & rejoined his Unit in France on 1st September, 1917 from being wounded.

Sapper Arthur Towers was wounded in action (2nd occasion) on 20th September, 1917 but remained on duty. The War Diary recorded “wounded in head – slight, remained at duty.”

Sapper Arthur Towers was wounded in action (3rd occasion) in France on 4th October, 1917. He was admitted to 64th Field Ambulance with gunshot wounds to chin & chest wall. Sapper Towers was transferred to 41st Casualty Clearing Station on 4th October, 1917 then transferred to No. 6 Ambulance Train on 5th October, 1917. He was admitted to 1st South African General Hospital at Abbeville, France on 5th October, 1917 with gunshot wounds to chin & chest. Sapper Towers embarked on Hospital Ship Essequibo for England on 11th October, 1917 with gunshot wounds to chest.

He was admitted to Reading War Hospital, Berkshire, England on 12th October, 1917 with gunshot wounds to chest – severe then transferred 1st Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, Middlesex, England on 2nd November, 1917. He was discharged from Hospital for furlo from 13th November to 27th November, 1917.

On 21st November, 1917 Sapper Towers was admitted to War Hospital, Dundee, Scotland with influenza whilst on leave from No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield.

Sapper Arthur Benjamin Towers died at 12.15 am on 2nd December, 1917 at War Hospital, Dundee, Scotland from Tuberculous Meningitis.

He was buried in Western Necropolis Cemetery, Dundee, (now known as Balgay Cemetery, Dundee) Scotland where 2 other WW1 Australian Soldiers are buried.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/dundee.html

Arthur Benjamin TOWERS

Arthur Towers was one of the thousands of SA Railways employees who enlisted to serve in the Great War.  He is commemorated with his colleagues on a series of Honour Boards on the concourse of Adelaide Railway Station.

Arthur Benjamin Towers was born in 1884 at Gawler South, South Australia. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 6th March 1916, from Murray Bridge, South Australia.  He was recorded as a 32 yeasr old, single, railway Engine Driver with the South Australian Railways. 

After initial training at Mitcham Camp, he was allocated to Engineers and transferred to Engineer Reinforcements, 2nd Military District (Sydney) on 16th May, 1916, where he undertook further specialist training.

On 7th October, 1916, Sapper Towers embarked from Sydney on HMAT Ceramic (A40) disembarking at Plymouth, England on 21st November, 1916. He proceeded to the Australian Details No. 3 Camp at Parkhouse, Wiltshire (part of the Salisbury Plain military area), in late November, 1916.

Arthur Towers proceeded overseas to France on 20th March, 1917. He was posted to the Australian General Base Depot at Etaples, a massive transit facility on the Channel Coast, France on 21st March, 1917 then marched out on 14th April, 1917 to join 2nd Field Company Engineers.

He was wounded in action on 5th May, 1917 during the lead up to the 2nd Battle of Bullecourt.

He was one of eight men in his unit wounded on that day - ‘GSW’ which could indicate either gunshot wound or ‘general shrapnel wound’  - which were in effect very similar in nature.   He had been wounded in both his hands.  He began the evacuation process for treatment of his wounds as follows:

·       3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Station  -

·       Moved by Ambulance Train 31 to the 11th Stationary Hospital at Rouen, France on 6th May, 1917.

·       Invalided to England on Hospital Ship St David from Rouen on 16th May, 1917

·       Admitted to Lewisham Military Hospital, England on 17th May, 1917

·       Transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 12th July, 1917.

·       On 14th July, 1917 Towers was sent on furlough (leave).  He marched in from furlough at Perham Downs, a major transit camp and training depot  on 28th July, 1917 to complete his rehabilitation.

·       On 25th August,  he proceeded back to France & was marched in to Rouelles, a transit camp similar to Etaples, on 26th August, 1917.

·       He was posted to 7th Field Company Engineers on 29th August, 1917 and joined his Unit in France on 1st September, 1917 three months after being wounded.

By this time the AIF was engaged in the Third Ypres campaign in Belgium. He  was wounded in action again on 20th September, 1917 (the Battle of Menin Road) but remained on duty.

Towers was wounded for the 3rd time on 4th October, 1917 as the Battle of Broodseinde Ridge, more seriously and once again embarked on the evacuation chain.

·       64th Field Ambulance with GSW  to chin & chest.

·       41st Casualty Clearing Station on 4th October, 1917 then

·       Transferred to No. 6 Ambulance Train on 5th October, 1917.

·       He was admitted to 1st South African General Hospital at Abbeville, France on 5th October, 1917 Embarked on Hospital Ship Essequibo for England on 11th October

·       He was admitted to Reading War Hospital, Berkshire, England on 12th October, 1917

·       transferred 1st Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield, Middlesex, England on 2nd November, 1917.  This Hospital was provided to the Australian Government by its owners, a wealthy Australian couple, the Billyard-Leakes originally from Glencoe near Mt Gambier in SA..

·       Towers was discharged from hospital and sent on leave 13th November to 27th November, 1917.

On 21st November, 1917 Sapper Towers was admitted to the War Hospital, Dundee, Scotland with influenza whilst on leave from No. 1 Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield.  His condition deteriorated as he had contracted Tuberculous Meningitis, and he died at 12.15 am on 2nd December, 1917.

He was buried in Western Necropolis Cemetery, Dundee, (now known as Balgay Cemetery, Dundee) Scotland where 2 other WW1 Australian Soldiers are buried.

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal

"RAILWAY STAFF CHANGES

Mr. A. B. Towers, of the locomotive department, has been appointed fireman on the southern division, with his home station at Bordertown." - from the Adelaide Daily Herald 15 Jan 1914 (nla.gov.au)

"RAILWAY APPOINTMENTS AND TRANSFERS.

Mr. A. B. Towers, of the locomotive department, has been appointed to the position of fireman on the southern division, his home station being at Murray Bridge." - from the Adelaide Daily Herald 10 Apr 1914 (nla.gov.au)

"DIED ON ACTIVE SERVICE.

TOWERS.—On the 2nd December, at Dundee War Hospital, Sapper Arthur Benjamin Towers, late 7th Field Company Engineers, A.I.F., dearly loved and only son of Benjamin and Edith Towers, Vine-street, Prospect." - from the Adelaide Advertiser 18 Dec 1917 (nla.gov.au)

"AUSTRALIAN SOLDIERS. DIED FOR THEIR COUNTRY.

Sapper A. B. TOWERS, of the 7th Field Company Engineers, only son. of Mr. and Mrs. B. Towers, No. 4 Vine-street, Prospect, who was severely wounded for the third time, died from meningitis in the Dundee War Hospital on December 1. He was formerly employed in the South Australian Railways Department." - from the Adelaide Chronicle 29 Dec 1917 (nla.gov.au)

"HEROES OF THE GREAT WAR.

TOWERS.—In loving memory of Sapper A. B. Towers, who died of meningitis in Dundee Military Hospital, Scotland, on December 2, 1917.

"At rest". —Inserted by his loving friend, B. Nicholls.

TOWERS.—In loving memory of our dear and only son and brother, Sapper Arthur Towers, 7th Field Engineers, died in the Dundee War Hospital on December 2, 1917.

He sleeps not in his native land,

But under foreign skies,

Far away from those who loved him.

In a hero's grave he lies. —Inserted by his loving mother and father and sisters, Prospect." - from the Adelaide Advertiser 02 Dec 1918 (nla.gov.au)