Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Arthur was the 6th child of Matilda and George Bentley. His father George had a market garden in Marrickville/Canterbury area. Aurther's mother died when he was 7 years old and he left school to help on the farm. The family later moved to Kentlyn near Campbelltown where George farmed again. Arthur worked on the farm at the same time working as a Labourer for Campbelltown Council until he enlisted.

In one of his letters to his sister he mentioned how he had met up with a few other men from Campbelltown and they had a great time talking about the old town. He went on to say that tears come to my eyes when I think of you all back home and I will never leave my home again for anyone. I just never imagined that war could be as terrible as it was.

After he was discharged on 4th September, 1919 suffering from trench feet, Arthur went back to work at Campbelltown Council where he stayed for several years.

He married Katherine Leonard in 1926 at the Anglican Church Chatswood NSW and they had 9 children. They bought 4 1/2 acres at Leumeah near Campbelltown where he continued his love of farming at the same time as working. Half the property was set out in fruit trees and vegetables as will as feed for the cow and horse. All the water had to be carried from a creek running through the property. He had a very strong work ethic and would work from daylight to dark.

Despite his earlier statement, when Singapore fell in Feburary 1942 at 56 years of age and still suffering the results of trench feet he went down to Victoria Barracks in Sydney to einlist only to be told, "Go home old digger and forget there is a war on".

Later he worked on the Woronora Dam and a weir and pumping station, known as the Warragamba Emergency Scheme later to become the Warragamba Dam.

Because of the toll the trenches took on his life he was only 60 when he died of a heart attack on 8th December 1946. He was a very humble man never wanting much out of life just content with his wife and family and home.