Arthur Claude (Webby) WEBB

WEBB, Arthur Claude

Service Number: 1851
Enlisted: 14 January 1915, Enlisted at Perth, WA
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 11th Infantry Battalion
Born: Wedderburn, Victoria, Australia, 1891
Home Town: Cottesloe, Western Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Clerk
Died: Killed in Action, Gallipoli, Gallipoli, Dardanelles, Turkey, 2 July 1915
Cemetery: Lone Pine Cemetery, ANZAC
Plot 1, Row E, Grave 19 Headstone inscription reads: To memory ever dear, Lone Pine Cemetery, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey, Lone Pine Memorial, Gallipoli Peninsula, Canakkale Province, Turkey
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Mosman Park Memorial Rotunda, Wedderburn War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

14 Jan 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1851, 11th Infantry Battalion, Enlisted at Perth, WA
19 Apr 1915: Involvement Private, 1851, 11th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: ''
19 Apr 1915: Embarked Private, 1851, 11th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Argyllshire, Fremantle

Help us honour Arthur Claude Webb's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Carol Foster

Son of Frederick Charles Cooper Webb and Elizabeth Jane P. Webb nee Baker of Mason Street, Cottesloe Beach, WA

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

He was a keen athlete

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From Adam Holloway

105 years ago today - Perth Footballer at the Dardanelles
Battlefield Investigations
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During the annual meeting of the Perth football club (Australian Rules Football) in March 1915, the chairman pointed out with pride to the fact that no less than 35 members of the club had gone to the front including some of the playing units such as Arthur Claude ‘Webby’ Webb.

The 24-year old Webb of Cottesloe was a very popular young fellow and well known in sporting circles having been a member of the club for many seasons past.

Although sorry to see such players of Webby’s calibre leave (6 foot tall and 169lbs), the chairman waxed lyrical to the gathered members;

“You have, gentlemen, seen some of our boys in tight corners on the football field; you have seen them with their backs against the wall, as it were. You have witnessed, time after time, their heroic efforts against overwhelming odds. Don’t you think those lads will acquit themselves well on the battlefield?”

In the first week of August 1915, the sad news was received in Perth that Webb, the well-known Perth footballer, had been killed in action at the Dardanelles. He was the first of the Perth men to 'go under', and all who knew him would have received the news of his death with sadness.

The Perth football club wore black armbands in their matches at Subiaco on Saturday 7 August 1915, in memory of their late comrade, ‘Webby’.

Webb enlisted on 11 January 1915 and was sent to ‘A’ Company of the 11th Battalion (Western Australians), arriving at Anzac on 16 June 1915. Although he had suffered from pneumonia during the voyage to Egypt he spurned medical advice to recuperate and insisted on going right on to the firing line. He lasted just over a fortnight on the Peninsular, being killed 105 years ago today.

Private Jack Flannigan, a former work colleague was with Webb at the time he was mortally wounded. “Poor Claude Webb, who was in the office with me at Rockingham, was killed. He lingered for four hours, and was conscious nearly all the time”.

Webb is buried in Lone Pine Cemetery.

Lest we forget.

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