ARENA, Anthony James
| Service Number: | 3288 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 2 December 1916, Cairns, Qld. |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 5th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Maryborough, Queensland, Australia, 30 April 1874 |
| Home Town: | Wolfram, Tablelands, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Hector Mining Field, Queensland, Australia, 7 December 1934, aged 60 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Proserpine General Cemetery, Qld C5 grave 441 |
| Memorials: | Mareeba Woothakata Shire Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 2 Dec 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3288, 5th Light Horse Regiment, Cairns, Qld. | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 May 1917: | Involvement Private, 3288, 5th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '2' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Sydney embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: '' | |
| 9 May 1917: | Embarked Private, 3288, 5th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Port Sydney, Sydney |
Lost but not forgotten
Antonio James Arena 3288 Born 30.4.1874 in Maryborough to Alfonso Joseph & Eleonor (Byrne).
In 1909 he was granted 178 acres in Chilligoe. 1916 he became a Justice of the Peace.
Enlisted 2.12.1916 in Cairns. He was 39 ½ years old, dark complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He was part of the 27th reinforcement for the 5th Light Horse Regiment and embarked on 9.5.1917 from Sydney, aboard Port Sydney, disembarked in the Suez on 20.6.1917. He was promoted to Lance Corporal on 6.7.1918. While in England waiting to return to Australia he was sent to Scotland to learn veterinary & animal husbandry, report from employee states “That Trooper Arena has done well since being here. He has shown very keen interest in all that has been shown to him. His chief study has been horse breeding.” He embarked on the Aeneas on 22.1.1919 and arrived in Australia on 6.12.1919.
On his return to Australia, he worked as an auctioneer in Wolfram, where he also laid claim to a mine.
The 1928 and 1930 electoral roll states he was working as a clerk in Collinsville.
Died 7.12.1934, C5 grave 441.
Plaque unveiled 27.7.2024. The Arena family did not know where he ended up. A week before his plaque was unveiled they were found & came down from Charters Towers to honor him.
Submitted 1 January 2025 by Lyn Burke
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of Mrs Ellen Arena, Juliett Street, South Brisbane, Queensland
The death occurred at Mt. Hector mining field on Thursday last of Antonia James Arena, a miner employed on that field. The late Mr Arena was employed at Collinsville for a number of years and was well and favourably known in that centre. Some time ago be left to try his fortune in the Nor thern mining fields, but ill health compelled him to return and he had lately been residing at the Mt. Hector field. The body was taken to Proserpine, where the funeral took place on Friday afternoon, Mr. B. C. Busuttin reading the R.C. Church burial service at the graveside.
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