William Llewellyn ARRELL MID, MID, DSO

ARRELL, William Llewellyn

Service Number: Officer
Enlisted: 20 March 1915
Last Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
Last Unit: 14th Infantry Battalion
Born: Nerang, Queensland, 25 February 1885
Home Town: Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland
Schooling: Gatton State School
Occupation: School Teacher
Died: Natural causes, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 3 August 1944, aged 59 years
Cemetery: Mount Thompson Memorial Gardens & Crematorium, Queensland
Cremated
Memorials: Goondiwindi War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

20 Mar 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Officer, 9th Infantry Battalion
8 Apr 1915: Involvement Lieutenant, 9th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '9' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of England embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: ''
8 Apr 1915: Embarked Lieutenant, 9th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Star of England, Brisbane
26 May 1915: Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 9th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli
20 Feb 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Captain, 9th Infantry Battalion
25 Feb 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Captain, 49th Infantry Battalion
5 Jun 1916: Embarked AIF WW1, Captain, 49th Infantry Battalion, HT Arcadian, Alexandria for Marseilles, France
31 Jul 1916: Promoted AIF WW1, Major, 49th Infantry Battalion
7 Apr 1918: Honoured Mention in Dispatches
20 Nov 1918: Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 14th Infantry Battalion
20 Nov 1918: Transferred AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 14th Infantry Battalion
16 Mar 1919: Honoured Mention in Dispatches
3 Jun 1919: Honoured Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, "The Last Hundred Days", For leadership and personal bravery that resulted in the success of the 49th Battalion, especially in the operations near Bray in August 1918 and the advance on the Hindenburg Line in September 1918.
20 Jul 1919: Embarked AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 14th Infantry Battalion, HT Valencia, Devonport for return to Australia - arriving 11 September 1919
19 Nov 1919: Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant Colonel, 14th Infantry Battalion

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Biography contributed by Michael Silver

OBITUARY 

Educationist's Death

The death occurred on August 3, 1944 of Colonel William L. Arrell DSO, examinations clerk, Queensland Department of Public Instruction.

Born at Narang in 1885, the late Colonel Arrell entered the service of the department on July 10. 1899, as a pupil teacher at Gatton State school. He was in charge of the provisional school at Longreach West for a period from 1908, and later taught in the Yeulba and Goondiwindi districts.

Enlisting in the First AIF in early 1915, he saw service with the 9th Battalion at Gallipoli and then the 49th Battalion on the Western Front. In a distinguished military career, he was awarded the DSO for exceptional service and devotion to duty in the advance on the Hindenburg Line in 1918 as well as being mentioned in despatches on two occassions.

Colonel Arrell commanded the 14th Battalion immediately following the Armistice and was discharged in November, 1919. 

He joined the staff of the head office of the State Education Department in a clerical capacity in 1921, was appointed acting examinations clerk in 1928 and examinations clerk two years later.

The late Colonel Arrell was a bachelor. His mother, who resides at Bank Street, West End survives him.

Source: The Telegraph - 4 August 1944

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