ARKELL, Eric Charles
| Service Number: | 340 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 July 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 30th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Rocksdale, New South Wales, Australia, 10 December 1894 |
| Home Town: | Newcastle, Hunter Region, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Cook's Hill Public School, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Fromelles, France, 20 July 1916, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" V.C. Corner, Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Newcastle East Roll of Honour, Newcastle Surf Club Life Saving Brigade Honor Roll, V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 340, 13th Infantry Battalion, Liverpool, New South Wales | |
|---|---|---|
| 9 Nov 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 340, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Beltana, Sydney | |
| 9 Nov 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 340, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Beltana embarkation_ship_number: A72 public_note: '' | |
| 16 Jun 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 340, 30th Infantry Battalion, Embarked Alexandria for B.E.F per H.M.T. "Hororata" | |
| 23 Jun 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 340, 30th Infantry Battalion, Disembarked Marseilles, France | |
| 19 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 340, 30th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix) | |
| 20 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 340, 30th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), Killed In Action |
Brothers
Eric was brother to Max. Eric was killed at Fromelles and Max was wounded. Max was later promoted to sergeant and died of wounds 28th August 1918. From central coast of NSW
Submitted 22 November 2019 by Leon Kelly
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
Let us remember a Fallen soldier of The Great War awaiting memorialisation at Sandgate Cemetery.
On the 20th July 1916, Private Eric Charles Douglas Arkell, 30th Battalion (Reg No-340), clerk from 13 Scott Street, Newcastle, New South Wales, was Killed in Action at the Battle of Fromelles, possibly killed by enemy shrapnel, age 21 years 7 months.
Born at Rockdale, New South Wales on the 10th December 1894 to Charles Henry (born 1.6.1860, Maitland, N.S.W., died 12.11.1901, Frederick Street, Rockdale, N.S.W., age 41, buried at Rookwood General Cemetery, N.S.W.,), and Bedelia Marguerite (Delia Margaret) Arkell nee Dick (born 11.6.1863, Sydney, N.S.W., died 12.11.1907, Hamilton, N.S.W., age 44, sleeping here - PRESBYTERIAN-19SE. 17), from Beaumont Street, Hamilton, N.S.W., Eric enlisted on the 18th July 1915, age 21 years 7 months, at Liverpool, N.S.W.
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A72 Beltana on the 9th November 1915.
Disembarked Suez, Egypt 11.12.1915.
Reported Missing in Action 20.7.1916.
Court of Inquiry 23.7.1917, now Killed in Action 20.7.1916.
Eric’s name has been inscribed on the V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery and Memorial, Fromelles, France. Panel 2.
Place of Association – Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.
Mr. Arkell’s name has also been inscribed on the Newcastle East Public School Roll of Honour, Newcastle Surf Club & Life-Saving Brigade Honor Roll and the Book of Gold. Name not inscribed on the Cooks Hill Superior Public School Roll of Honour or the Gardner Memorial.
Younger brother Max Kenneth Dick M.I.D. (born 13.1.1897, Rockdale, New South Wales, junior clerk (stenographer, Accounts Branch at the Hunter District Water Supply and Sewerage Board Head Office), enlisted 18.7.1915, age 18 years 6 months, 30th Battalion, Reg No-341, wounded in action - 17.7.1916 (GSW and shrapnel, back, Fromelles), Mentioned in Despatches for gallant conduct. He guided a lost unit to their right lines whilst acting as runner and also brought three prisoners in singlehanded, 27.8.1918 (GSW or shell wounds to right knee, right arm and left leg, severe, at Amiens), DOW 28.8.1918, age 21, Lance Sergeant, resting at Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, France. Plot VII Row B Grave 21), awaiting memorialisation same location.
Report of a letter sent home (http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134867549) mentions Max. Sent by Private Walter Dorman Bartley, 1st Divisional Train & 1st Divisional Motor Transport Company, Reg No-9482, bookkeeper (office staff, the Hunter District Water Supply and Sewerage Board, Newcastle, N.S.W.), enlisted 19.10.1915, RTA 10.9.1919, died 9.3.1924, age 33, resting at Sandgate Cemetery METHODIST 1 (WESLEYAN) H SE. 51. I submitted an application to DVA July 2023 asking for a Commonwealth War Graves Plaque to be placed at the gravesite, unfortunately declined July 2023.
Unfortunately, there is no memorial inscription at the Dick & Arkell family gravesite to tell us of the loss of their 2 boys during The Great War, so September 2015 I erected 2 Memorial crosses in remembrance of the service and supreme sacrifice of the Arkell brothers for God, King & Country. PRESBYTERIAN-19SE. 17.
Both brothers reared by their Grandmother Eliza Dick nee Ferris (Grace Darling of Australia, 1863, born 1841, died 6.6.1918, age 77, 13 Scott Street, Newcastle, New South Wales, N.S.W., sleeping at PRESBYTERIAN-19SE. 18.
Well known in the swimming and surfing community.
Both brothers played for the East Newcastle Rugby Union team.
20 year old brother Douglas Noel Arkell, referred to as Dug, clerk from Ocean Street, Newcastle, N.S.W., born 27.11.1898, Rockdale, New South Wales, left leg had to amputated due to a shark attack at Newcastle beach on the 17th January 1919 died 29.5.1961, Merewether, N.S.W., age 62, ashes interred Newcastle Memorial Park, N.S.W.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
For more detail, see “Forever Remembered“.
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/.
The Fromelles Association of Australia - https://fromelles.info/association/fact-sheets/ are asking for DNA samples for family connections to this soldier so visit the Fromelles Descendant Database - https://www.facebook.com/groups/353275321398458 or Missing soldier relatives database - https://www.army.gov.au/.../missing-soldier-relatives....
Profiled on The Fromelles Association of Australia - https://fromelles.info/.../340-private-eric-charles-arkell/.
Lest We Forget.
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