Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Biography of Arthur Edwin Walter Geier

Arthur Edwin Walter Geier was born on 29 July 1915 at Serviceton, Victoria, the eldest son of Gustav Albert Geier (1883–1961) and Agnes Amanda Sophie (née Grosser) Geier (1888–1940). He grew up in a Lutheran farming family of German heritage, straddling the South Australia–Victoria border in a community sustained by agriculture and the railways.

Early Life

Arthur's early years were shaped by life in rural Victoria, where he worked as a labourer and gained mechanical experience. By 1941, at age 25, he was employed on his uncle's property at Wolseley, South Australia. His relative, A.E.J. Grosser, even wrote to the government seeking Arthur's exemption from service, citing the thousands of vegetables, pigs, and cattle that depended on his labour. Despite this, Arthur answered the call to duty.

Military Service

Enlistment

Date: 3 March 1941
Place: Custon, South Australia
Age: 25 years, 7 months
Religion: Lutheran
Trade: Labourer, later classified as Electrician (Motor Vehicle)
Army Number: S5530
His initial next of kin was his father Gustav, later updated to his wife Linda Clara Reichelt after their marriage in 1942.

Units & Roles

Arthur served in a variety of units during the Second World War, including:

9th Motor Regiment
3rd Motor Brigade
3rd Reconnaissance Squadron
12th Australian Advanced Workshops (AEME – Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers)
His role evolved into that of Craftsman (Cfn), specialising as an Electrician, Motor Vehicle, responsible for keeping army transport and equipment in serviceable condition.

Overseas Service

Embarked: 1 December 1944 from Brisbane
Theatre: Bougainville (Pacific Campaign)
Disembarked (return): 16 June 1945 at Brisbane
In Bougainville, he supported the Australian campaign against entrenched Japanese forces by maintaining essential vehicles and equipment in the jungle environment.

Service Notes

Arthur's records include personal notations such as the birth of his children during his wartime service:

Colin Kingsley Geier (1943)
Joy Henrietta Geier (1945)
This demonstrates how his family life and military service were intertwined.

Discharge

Date: 5 December 1945 (later processed to 21 December 1945)
Rank: Craftsman
Total Service: 4 years, 9 months (1533 days in Australia, 179 overseas)
Issued with:
War Badge No. A80944
Certificate of Discharge No. 321333

Medals & Recognition

Arthur was entitled to five campaign medals:

1939–45 Star
Pacific Star
Defence Medal
War Medal 1939–45
Australia Service Medal 1939–45
He did not initially claim them but later applied under the Freedom of Information Act (1982) in 1987. On 12 October 1987, his medals were dispatched from Melbourne to his home in Nhill. Arthur personally signed for the parcel on 13 October 1987, ensuring that his family would have this lasting recognition of his service.

Marriage & Family Life

On 11 February 1942, Arthur married Linda Clara Reichelt (1915–2007) in Victoria. Their marriage spanned more than sixty years. They had three children:

Colin (with wife Dawn)
Joy (with husband Roy)
Anne (with husband Bob)
Arthur and Linda became grandparents to eight grandchildren and later great-grandparents to six. Their lives were deeply rooted in the Nhill community.

Later Years

After the war, Arthur returned to civilian life as a railway employee and continued to raise his family in Nhill, Hindmarsh Shire, Victoria.

In his later years, he remained proud of his wartime contribution. His application for his medals in 1987, more than four decades after the war, reflected his enduring pride in service and a desire for his legacy to be preserved for future generations.

Arthur passed away suddenly on 11 January 2004 at Avonlea Nursing Home, Nhill, aged 88. His wife Linda survived him until 10 December 2007.

Both are buried together at the Nhill Cemetery, Victoria. Their memorial plaque reads:

"Loved father and mother of Colin, Joy, Ann, daughter and son-in-law Dawn, Roy, Bob. Loved Pa and Nanna to Bill, John, Malcolm, Jillian, Stuart, Peter, Michelle, Lisa and families. Forever in our hearts."

Legacy

Arthur Edwin Walter Geier is remembered as:

A loyal son of Serviceton, whose enlistment drew him away from vital farm work to serve his nation.
A dedicated soldier and tradesman, keeping the Australian war effort moving in Bougainville and at home.
A devoted husband to Linda, and proud father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.
A man who lived humbly in Nhill but left a lasting legacy of service, family, and community.
His medals, service records, and family tributes preserve the story of a man whose life reflected both the duty of war and the love of home.

Biography by Trevor Pyatt 29/09/2025