FINLEY, Arthur
| Service Number: | 3828 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 17th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1895 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Tramway Worker |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Pozieres, France, 28 July 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" Remembered on Villiers-Bretonneux Memorial. |
| Memorials: | Ashfield Presbyterian Church Great War Memorial Window, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Jan 1916: | Involvement Private, 3828, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Runic embarkation_ship_number: A54 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Jan 1916: | Embarked Private, 3828, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Runic, Sydney |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
Arthur FINLEY, (Service Number 3828) born in Sydney in 1895, joined the Tramways as a cleaner in August 1914, and a year later was released from duty to enlist in the AIF. At the time of his enlistment, he was a member of the Inspector’s (Electrical Branch) staff at Circular Quay. He left Australia with the ‘Tramway Battalion’ of reinforcements, specially recruited from NSWGR&T men, on Christmas Eve, 1915.
He was killed in action sometime between 26 July and 7 August 1916, and buried at a map reference ‘in the vicinity of Pozières’. After the war the grave could not be located, and he is remembered with honour on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.
In April 1917 an enlarged photograph, ‘the gift of his comrades on the Inspector’s staff’, was unveiled in his memory at his old offices at Circular Quay.
Submitted 3 July 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Arthur FINLEY (Service Number 3828) was born in Sydney in 1895. He joined the Tramways as a cleaner in August 1914. A year later was released from duty to enlist in the AIF. At the time of his enlistment, he was a member of the Inspector’s (Electrical Branch) staff at Circular Quay. He left Australia with the ‘Tramway Battalion’ of reinforcements. They were specially recruited from NSW Government Railways and Tramways men, on Christmas Eve, 1915.
Finley stated on his enlistment that both his parents were dead, and he therefore did not need their consent to enlist, although he was under full age. His sister, whom he had named as next of kin, confirmed this statement.
He went via Egypt to France, where he landed in April 1916. He was made an acting Corporal and joined the 17th Battalion at the Front on 28th July.
He was killed in action sometime between 26th July and 7th August 1916. He was buried at a map reference ‘in the vicinity of Pozières’. After the war the grave could not be located, and he is remembered with honour on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial.
In April 1917 an enlarged photograph, ‘the gift of his comrades on the Inspector’s staff’, was unveiled in his memory at his old offices at Circular Quay.
- based on notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board