WHITE-PARSONS, Arthur Thomas
Service Number: | 7717 |
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Enlisted: | 2 March 1917, Perth, Western Australia |
Last Rank: | Sapper |
Last Unit: | 3rd Tunnelling Company (inc. 6th Tunnelling Company) |
Born: | Lyttleton, New Zealand, 11 October 1870 |
Home Town: | Perth, Western Australia |
Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
Occupation: | Steward |
Died: | Natural causes (heart condition), Leederville, Western Australia, 14 June 1945, aged 74 years |
Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia |
Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
2 Mar 1917: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 7717, Perth, Western Australia | |
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8 Aug 1917: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sapper, 7717, Tunnelling Companies, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
8 Aug 1917: | Embarked AIF WW1, Sapper, 7717, Tunnelling Companies, HMAT Anchises, Sydney | |
18 Dec 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Sapper, 7717, 3rd Tunnelling Company (inc. 6th Tunnelling Company), Discharged on medical grounds October 1918 |
Arthur - Post WW1
After returning and being medically discharged, my great grandfather became an alcoholic due to the effects of the war on his emotional and mental state.
Sadly, he was not a nice drunk and, eventually, his marriage and most of his family relationships fell apart. His wife divorced him and (other than his eldest son- my Dad's father- sneaking out to meet him and take him spare money whenever he could) Arthur became homeless, destitute and spent the final 20+ years of his life alone, slowly drinking himself to death.
When he died, he was given a 'Paupers Funeral' and buried in an unmarked grave in Karrakatta Cemetery.
Due to the nature of Arthur's departure from our family, and because my father (Arthur's Grandson) was only 8 months old when Arthur died, my father did not even know that his Grandad had served in World War 1.
In researching my family tree, as a surprise gift for my Dad, I have literally only just learned about Arthur, three days ago, through family history research. Finding out that he had served our country in the Great War was something that made us unbelievably proud.
We contacted the cemetery to find out more about his location only be told that the area, where he is buried, is being 'renewed' and his unmarked grave is in the process of being covered over with a Mausoleum.
Having already been distressed to learn of the circumstances of his passing- alone and indigent- this additional information regarding the renewal just gutted us.
In order to try and recognise the sacrifice that he made, and the post-service suffering that he endured, we will be applying to have his cause of death linked to the "Shell Shock" (PTSD) that his service in WW1 caused. Hopefully we will be able to have a plaque laid in the gardens at the Karrakatta War Graves cemetery.
Arthur may have only served for a short period before being discharged for his illness but, in the end, he also lost his livelihood, his family, and the rest of his future to the Great War. We feel that Arthur deserves so much more respect and appreciation than an unmarked grave.
Submitted 1 August 2015 by Alana Gidley (nee Parsons)
Biography
Arthur enlisted at the age of 47- but lied about his age, claiming that he was only 42- as he wanted to help the fight. He also gave an altered version of his name, having been born Arthur Charles White PARSONS, he enlisted as Arthur Thomas WHITE-PARSONS. It is assumed that he altered his name to avoid his real age being discovered.