Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Edward and Mary MACARTHUR, Corinda, Brisbane, Queensland

Died on the 8th August, of wounds received at the battle of Pozieres, Ronald, beloved eldest son of Edward Hannibal and Mary Macarthur (nee Wildash), of Corinda, Queensland, and grandnephew of the late Mrs. Jane Borron, of "Glen Ronala," South Yarra, aged 21 years. His duty done.

Ronald Macarthur came from a distinguished line of Australian pioneers. He was the great great grandson of the third governor of New South Wales, Phillip Gidley King and was also related to the Macarthur family of Camden NSW. In addition he was related by marriage to the pioneering Leslie brothers who opened up the Darling Downs.

Ronald had been born in Childers, perhaps when his father was stationed there as a surveyor for Queensland Railways. He attended Brisbane Grammar and then went on to the Hawkesbury Agricultural College to continue the family tradition of pastoralism. While at Hawkesbury he won a prize for an essay on dairying as well as numerous sporting prizes.

At the time of his enlistment in September 1915, Ronald gave his address as “Bootawa” Mt Mee via Kilcoy. He was 20 years old and went to the recruiting depot with a telegram from his father; Edward Hannibal Macarthur, stating:” Mother and I consent to you in expeditionary force.”

At Enoggera, Ronald was drafted into the 14th reinforcements for the 15th Battalion and embarked for overseas on the “Wandilla” in Brisbane on 31st January 1916. He arrived in Egypt in February 1916. The Australian forces were undergoing a huge expansion in Egypt in early 1916. Original battalions were split to provide a nucleus of Gallipoli veterans for two new battalions. The 15th Battalion, to which Ronald had been originally assigned, was split to create the 47th Battalion, part of the newly created 4th Division. Ronald, along with a number of new reinforcements were added to the 47th to bring it up to strength.

The 47th Battalion would earn a rather questionable reputation in the AIF. It was widely reported that when officers and NCOs were being assigned, the commanding officer of the 15th took the opportunity to unload a number of men who had proved less than worthy of command. In addition, the numbers of ordinary soldiers were made up of men from hospitals in Egypt, VD wards and in some cases defaulters from the stockade. One historian described the makeup of the 47th as a “bunch of toffs and wasters and street loafers.”

The 47th Battalion was one of the last battalions to leave Egypt for France, but not before the unit disgraced itself by not showing respect to the Prince of Wales when he inspected the troops. On the voyage to Marseilles, one of the senior officers drank himself senseless and would be eventually dismissed from the service. Alcohol continued to be a problem for the battalion when the first pay was issued in Northern France.

On 1st July 1916, Haig (Supreme British Commander on the Western Front) launched the Somme offensive. Casualties were enormous but Haig was determined to keep up the pressure. Three of the four Australian divisions in France were deployed to the Somme. The Australians were to go into their first major action at Pozieres and the 1st and 2nd Divisions were put into the line in late July. After these two divisions had exhausted themselves in gaining the high ground above the village, the 4th Division was brought up to defend the ground captured.

Pozieres is renowned for the intensity of the artillery barrages laid down by the German defenders. The 4th Division had to simply withstand the barrages while holding the line in expectation of a counter attack which never came. The 47th Battalion war diary for the period from 7th to 12th August 1915 simply states “Bombardment heavy. Considerable casualties inflicted on battalion.”

During this horrendous onslaught, Ronald Macarthur sustained a shrapnel wound to the head. He was carried to the 13th Australian Field Hospital where he died of wounds on 11th August 1916. Ronald was buried in the Warloy-Ballion Communal Cemetery Extension near the hospital.

Ronald’s father politely but persistently wrote to the authorities to obtain details of his son’s death and the whereabouts of his personal effects. Eventually in mid 1917 he received a letter from the CO of the hospital and a consignment of personal effects which included a wallet, wristwatch, photographic film, negatives and photographs (but surprisingly no camera) and a diary. In March 1918 a further parcel arrived containing a tin whistle and a book of views of Egypt.

On the site of the Battle of Pozieres today is a commemorative stone which reads:

“The ruin of the Pozieres windmill which lies here was the centre of the struggle on this part of the Somme Battlefield in July and August 1916. It was captured by Australian troops who fell more thickly on this ridge than on any other battlefields of the war.”

Courtesy of Ian Lang

Mango Hill