BRETHERTON, Arnold Romsey
| Service Numbers: | Commissioned Officer, Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 July 1915, An original of D Company |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | 18th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Moe, Victoria, Australia, 24 October 1895 |
| Home Town: | Windsor, Stonnington, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Royal Military College, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia |
| Occupation: | Military officer |
| Died: | Killed in action, France, 26 December 1916, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Guards Cemetery, Lesboeufs, Picardie Plot II, Row D, Grave No. 3 |
| Memorials: | St. Kilda East All Saints Anglican Church Mausoleum Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 29th Infantry Battalion, An original of D Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Nov 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Commissioned Officer, 29th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
| 10 Nov 1915: | Embarked Lieutenant, 29th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Melbourne | |
| 26 Dec 1916: | Involvement Captain, Officer, 18th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: awm_unit: 18 Battalion awm_rank: Captain awm_died_date: 1916-12-26 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Bretherton was the son of a policeman and was born in Moe in Gippsland, Victoria in 1895. In 1912 he toured Britain and Canada for five months with a group of cadets before entering the Royal Military College, Duntroon in March 1913. He graduated, along with the rest of his class, early on 28 June 1915. He served with the 18th Battalion in France and the Headquarters of the 7th Brigade during the fighting at Pozières in July 1916. By October 1916 he been promoted to Captain and was on detachment to 2nd Division Headquarters as an Intelligence Officer.
Described as "fearless" by his commanding officer, Brigadier General William Holmes, Bretherton went out to an observation post near Rose Trench when he was shot through the eyes by a sniper on 26 December 1916 at around 2.45pm. He died a few hours later. An eye witness in his Red Cross file stated, “they advised him not to go over the top as there were snipers about, but he was a very game chap and had no fear at all and so he went over and he had not got over a few seconds before they shot him right across the eyes and he was killed instantly. They got him back and buried him between Delville Wood and Needle Trench. He was a fine man and everyone liked him. He did not give a toss for anything.” (2263 Signaller Strahan)
His body was brought back a day or two afterwards and buried in a Flers Dressing Station Cemetery, which contained the graves of 33 soldiers from Australia which were re-interred in Guards Cemetery during 1920.
He was the son of James and Emily Alice Bretherton, of Garden Vale, Victoria.
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