Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Name: Arthur Thomas Goodes
Service Number: 2421A
Place of Birth: Keyneton / North Rhine
Date of Birth: 7 August 1880
Place of Enlistment: Adelaide
Date of Enlistment: 5 July 1916
Age at Enlistment: 35 years 8 months
Next of Kin: Mother – Annie Goodes, “Monkswood”, Keyneton
Occupation: Farmer
Religion: Congregational
Rank: Corporal
Upon enlisting, Arthur undertook basic training with C Company at
Mitcham prior to embarking HMAT A68 Anchises at Adelaide on 28
August 1916, bound for Folkestone, England, with the 5th
Reinforcement. His unit, the 48th Battalion, was sent to France on 28
December.
Arthur was promoted to Corporal on 12 July 1917, which included a
pay rise from 6 shillings per day to 10 shillings. He was wounded in
action in France on 13 October 1917 and was stationed at Sandhill
Camp, Oxford, England upon completion of treatment, rejoining his
unit in France on 11 May 1918. He was wounded in action on a
second occasion on 8 August, sustaining a severe gunshot wound to
the right arm. The severity of the wound necessitated being
invalided to England for treatment at Southern General Hospital at
Oxford. Arthur’s parents were notified by Base Records, Melbourne
of his situation on 24 September.
In a letter to his sister he wrote, “Tell Mrs. Heath I never went
anywhere near where William Heath was buried in France – our lads
are in quite a different part to where they were when I left them
last year. When we have been with the Battalion for nine months,
we are entitled to 2 weeks’ leave.”
Corporal Arthur Goodes returned to Australia from England per
Orsova on 8 January 1919 and was discharged on 4 April.
On returning home from overseas service, Arthur married local
woman Myra Agnew, and they had two daughters, Barbara and
Elizabeth. While Arthur was waiting for his War Service block,
allocated later at Glencoe in the South – East, he worked for his
brother William, in his general store in Mt. Gambier.
Arthur ran a dairy farm on his Glencoe block. At one point he was
very badly injured by one of his own bulls and was unable to work
for quite some time. He retired into Mt. Gambier and enjoyed
bowling, while Myra played croquet.
Following Myra’s death he lived with his daughter Beth for about
four years. He was an elder at the Presbyterian Church. Arthur is
remembered by his family as a dear and gentle person.
Source: NAA;B2455; GoodesAT; Barcode 4818555
Letter from Alison Telford courtesy Carolyn Lillecrapp