Virtual
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Australia

Son of Charles and Elizabeth Ann (nee Nottle) Chenoweth of Gawler; brother of Grace Benetta Chenoweth, Elizabeth Ann Chenoweth, Charles Edwin Chenoweth, Jane Chenoweth, Richard Lewis Chenoweth, Godfrey Chenoweth, Sidney Wilfred Chenoweth, Alwin George Chenoweth and  Dorothy Gwendoline Pearl Chenoweth

15 June 1920 - Base Reocrds wrote a letter to his mother stating that she was registered as Arthur's next of kin a dn asking if there was any nearer blood relative i.e. his father and if he was alive

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

From Francois Somme

LCpl 2832 Arthur Henry Chenoweth, 50th Australian Infantry Battalion, 13th Brigade, 4th Australian Division, AIF
 
More than a hundred years ago, in the fields of the Somme, stood courageous, in the trenches of this beautiful region of northern France, thousands of young men who, far from home, shoulder to shoulder, united in a brotherly bond, fought together for peace and freedom and, under fire, under bullets, in madness and darkness, sacrificed their youth to bring to the world a new breath, a hope for a better tomorrow, for a world without war in which the smiles of children would prevail above the roar of artillery and the cries of agony that, through the poppies, in the midst of battle, were heard during the great war, during a murderous conflict that was to end all wars. These soldiers were Australian and French, British and Canadian but they were above all boys, men in the prime of their lives with a history that was stopped by the war but a story that must be and deserves to be told to perpetuate their memory so that they can forever stand by our side without them ever being forgotten. In the trenches, without showing it, without saying it, beyond the fear of death, the fear of being alone, of being forgotten frightened them but today we stand before them with gratitude and respect to keep them alive in the light of remembrance, under an eternal flame that will never cease to shine and that one day we will pass on to our children, to future generations so that in turn they can keep the names and faces of these young men alive forever by watching over their white graves.

On this day, it is with the deepest gratitude in my thoughts and the utmost respect in my heart that I would like to honor the memory of one of these young men, one of my boys of the Somme who, for two friendly countries, Australia and France, gave his life.I would like to pay a very respectful tribute to Lance Corporal number 2832 Arthur Henry Chenoweth who fought bravely in the 50th Australian Infantry Battalion, 13th Brigade, 4th Australian Division of the Australian Imperial Force, and who died of his wounds 108 years ago, on 13th August 1916 at the age of 22 during the Battle of the Somme.

Arthur Henry Chenoweth was born on 6 January 1894 in Wasleys, South Australia, and was the son of Charles Chenoweth (1857-1931) and Elizabeth Ann Chenoweth (née Nottle, 1859-1941), of Gawler, South Australia. He had four sisters, Grace Benetta Chenoweth (1880-1932), Elizabeth Ann Chenoweth (1882-1883), Jane Chenoweth (1886-1972), Dorothy Gwendoline Pearl Chenoweth (1904-1960) and five brothers, Charles Edwin Chenoweth (1884-1964), Richard Lewis Chenoweth (1888-1955), Godfrey Chenoweth (1891-1975), Sidney Wilfred Chenoweth (1896-1960) and Alwyn George Chenoweth (1900-1964). Arthur was educated at Wasleys School, was a member of the Sir William Robinson Lodge (Druids) then after graduation worked as a carpenter for Messrs. E. T. Isley and Co. of Mile End until the outbreak of the war.

When the first world war broke out in August 4,1914, Australia had been a united (federated) country for only 13 years.Although Australia was self-governing, it was still a dominion of the British Empire and was obliged to follow Britain’s instructions in many areas of government. When Britain declared war on Germany, Australia and other countries in the British Empire were also drawn into war.

Very few Australians had been engaged in wars and, possibly because of this, there was a perception that war was glorious, exciting and heroic. A wave of enthusiasm for the war effort swept through the country and men rushed to enlist in the armed forces, which at the time were known as the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Around 50 000 men enlisted by the end of 1914. According to popular opinion expressed in newspapers at the time, many of the men enlisting for war were concerned that it might be over before they got to Europe.

The reasons for enlistment were varied and complex. Some men were driven by a desire to show what their young nation could contribute to a world conflict. Others went to war because of loyalty to "the mother country". Some joined out of a spirit of adventure and for the opportunity to leave home and see the world. For some, their incentive was to earn a good income, and the promise of regular pay motivated many unemployed men to volunteer. As the war progressed, hatred of the enemy also became a motivation for enlistment. Propaganda stories (often exaggerated) of German atrocities were used in recruiting campaigns.
Arthur, animated by a strong spirit of loyalty and patriotism, answered the call and enlisted on 14th June 1915 at Keswick, South Australia, as a Private in the 10th Australian Infantry Battalion, A Company, 9th Reinforcement, then after a period of training of just over three months at Mitcham Camp during which he learned the rudiments of modern warfare which was raging overseas, he embarked with his unit from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A15 Star Of England on 21st September 1915 and sailed for Mudros, Greece, where he arrived on 25th November.

From there he proceeded to Egypt, on board Seang Bee, arriving at Alexandria on 29th December then on 26th February 1916 was transferred to the 50th Australian Infantry Battalion at Serapeum and taken on strength the following day at Tel-El-Kebir.

The 50th Battalion was raised in Egypt on February 26, 1916 as part of the process that was known as "doubling the AIF" to create the 4th and 5th Divisions and was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Hurcombe, the original Second in Command of the 10th Battalion on its formation in August 1914.

On return from the Gallipoli campaign to Egypt, the Australian Brigades (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th) of the ANZAC Corps formed the basis of the creation of the 4th Division and 5th Divisions. To create the new Divisions, sixteen original battalions were "split" to create the new so-called "pup" battalions.

By seeding the new Battalions with a core of experienced Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers and soldiers from the parent Battalions and reinforcing them with newly arrived recruits from Australia, the "doubling of the AIF" was achieved, although not without some angst when the original battalions were split and former comrades went their separate ways.

On 1 March 1916 at Serapeum, Arthur was promoted to Lance Corporal and then, with his new unit, after a period spent in the defence of the Suez Canal and a period of training in the desert heat, proceeded for France from Alexandria on 5 June on the troop transport ship Arcadian.

On 12th June 1916, after an uneventful and peaceful journey across the crystal blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Arthur finally arrived in France with his comrades and were disembarked at Marseilles. From there he and the 50th Battalion were sent by train to Fleurbaix where they remained until 10th July and the following day moved to Estaires, marched to Rouge-Croix on 12th July finally arriving at Bailleul on 13th July and were shortly afterwards entrained for the Somme arriving at Halloy-lès-Pernois on 15th July. Here they underwent a period of training including practice attacks and bayonet fighting and on 30th July were ordered to march to Herissart, their steps coming ever closer to the front line.

On 2nd August 1916, marching through scorched countryside, ruined villages, and killing fields where men and horses already lay, Arthur and the troops of the 50th Battalion moved to Vadencourt where they underwent another short period of training including physical exercises and then on 6th August marched into billets at "Brickfield" outside the town of Albert whose basilica and its golden dome could be seen for miles. Finally, on 11th August, the time came for the 50th to join the murderous battlefields of the Somme and took up position in the "Wire Trench" at Pozieres and on 13th August were involved in their first major engagement in the horrific clashes at Mouquet Farm.

Mouquet Farm was the scene of intensive fighting for th Australian soldiers in the Somme, from July through to early September 1916. A German stronghold, just 1000 yards to the west of Pozières, the capture of this site was seen as a prelude to the Allies' objective of capturing Thiepval. Mouquet Farm, otherwise known to the Aussie troops as "Moo Cow Farm", protected the rear of Thiepval. The well-held belief was if the farm was seized, then the capture of Thiepval would ensue.

For just over six weeks, as part of the Battle of the Somme, between 23 July and 4 September 1916 three Australian divisions,the First, Second and Fourth, including 36 individual infantry battalions, fought the Germans at Pozières, on the Pozières heights and then along the ridge towards Mouquet Farm.

But in this six-week period, the Australians Divisions mounted 19 attacks on the German positions that surrounded Mouquet Farm, none of which resulted in capturing this position.

On 23rd of July, Pozières fell to the First Australian Division, then on 4th August, the Windmill site was captured. The fighting continued, and attack after attack, small gains were sometimes made, but the advance north towards Mouquet Farm and Thiepval was frustratingly slow, often a mere crawling pace.

The German troops, realising they could attack on three sides, were able to concentrate their fire on the narrow front that the Australian troops were operating on. Each approach that was made on the farm was visible to the German artillery observers. The Australians were perilously exposed to enemy fire, and the shelling they received was brutal.

Tactically, Mouquet Farm was a significant location. Beneath the farm were a series of cellars, and by incorporating these cellars into their trench system the German forces were able to establish a full underground network of interconnecting rooms. Above the ground was an impressive vantage point and below the ground was the ideal protection from the shelling ripping through the air above.

The Germans were so heavily bombarding the area that Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Murray Ross (16 August 1867-15 November 1933), commanding officer of the 51st Australian Infantry Battalion, wrote to his Brigadier that "it is my genuine (not depressed) opinion that it would be a mistake to further press the offensive in this salient until communications and supplies of food and ammunition could be improved."

The Australian troops attacked again on the 12th and 13th of August, and the Fourth Australian Division mounted an ambitious plan to take the farm on 14th August. Three battalions were to be involved, and although already so depleted in numbers and exhausted, they advanced, but to no avail and by early September, Mouquet Farm was still under a German stronghold.

Through the series of operations to capture Mouquet Farm, the Australian Divisions kept rotating around, and in the end, more than 50,000 men were involved in the assaults on the farm.

In just over 40 days of fighting around Pozières and Mouquet farm, the Australian casualties registered a shocking number: 23,000. Of these, 11,000 casualties were suffered by the First, Second and Fourth Australian Divisions in the series of attacks mounted on Mouquet Farm alone.

It was not until the end of September, that Mouquet Farm was secured by the British troops, when their advance bypassed the farm, capturing Thiepval and leaving it as an isolated outpost.

The horrific loss of life and what ended up as a mostly futile attack on Mouquet Farm, is perhaps best articulated in the official 21st Australian Infantry Battalion history:
"We have been in hotter holes since then but never has the Battalion suffered under intense shellfire for such long periods and with such little movement. The casualty lists bear this out. The conditions were vile. The weather being hot and everyone fully occupied on other tasks, the dead lay unburied for weeks and the stench was frightful. To come through a period such as this and then go on fighting is evidence of the temper of the British armies in general and of our unit in particular under the heading of the First Battle of the Somme is told the story of our first and heaviest try out. The time which is vividly imprinted in the memories of those who saw the whole show through."

Unfortunately, on 13th August 1916, as the men of the 50th Battalion occupied the trenches opposite Mouquet Farm, Arthur met his fate. Indeed, on that fateful day, the German observers clearly saw the Australians massing in front of them and they unleashed an artillery bombardment of unprecedented brutality and intensity and Arthur was seriously injured by shrapnel to his neck, one of which fractured his skull. He was immediately evacuated from the front line and admitted to the 44th Casualty Clearing Station at Puchevillers where he died a few hours later. He was 22 years old.

Today, Arthur Henry Chenoweth rests in peace alongside his friends, comrades and brothers in arms at Puchevillers British Cemetery, Somme, and his grave bears the following inscription: "In memory of the beloved son of E. and C. Chenoweth, Gawler, S.A. (aged 22)."

After the death of Arthur Henry Chenoweth in the Somme, several obituaries were written and published in his memory as follows:
"Mr. and Mrs. C. Chenoweth, of Willaston, have been officially notified that their fourth son, Lance-Corporal Arthur H. Chenoweth, died of wounds on 13th. August, in France. He left Australia on 21st. September 1915. He was a carpenter and had been employed by Messrs. E.T. Isley and Co. of Mile End. Lance-Corporal Chenoweth was a member of the Sir William Robinson Lodge (Druids). He was esteemed by all who knew him. Mr. and Mrs Chenoweth have another son on active service in France."

"In loving memory of Lance-Corporal A.H. Chenoweth, died of wounds, France, 13th. August 1916. How hard it was to part with him, I held on earth so dear. The heart no greater trial knows, no sorrow more severe; days of sadness still come o'er me; hidden secret tears still flow; but memory keeps my loved one near me; friends may think I have forgotten; when at times they see me smile, but they little know what an aching heart those smiles hide all the while." Inserted by his loving girl, Dean.

"In loving memory of Lance-Corporal A.H. Chenoweth, died of wounds, France, 13th. August 1916. "Just one sad year has now gone past since this great sorrow fell, yet in our hearts we mourn the loss of him we knew so well. We miss him, yes, we miss him, more than words can ever say. In the prime of his life God claimed him, In the joy of his manhood days. None knew him, but to love him; none mentioned his name but in praise". Inserted by Mrs. Pearce, Olga, and Vera."

"In loving memory of our dear brother, Lance-Corporal A.H. Chenoweth, who died of wounds, 13th August 1916, in France. "He left his home in health and strength, to answer his country's call; he gave his life, he gave his best, for you, for me, for all. No one he loved was by his side to hear his faintest sigh, or whisper just a loving word, or even say goodbye." Inserted by his loving brothers, Godfrey, and Sidney, who is now in France."

"In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Lance-Corporal A.H. Chenoweth, who died of wounds, 13th. August 1916, in France. "Far away from those that loved him, comrades laid him down to rest; a noble hero, true and brave, peacefully sleeps in a soldier's grave." Inserted by his loving parents, brothers, and sisters."

Arthur, so many years ago, your footsteps followed those of all the sons and daughters of Australia who, when the time came to answer the call, did not hesitate and together, united in camaraderie, went to fight in the name of peace and freedom on the battlefields of the Somme, through a hell on which were written the most glorious pages of the ANZAC spirit, a spirit whose legend was born in courage, in the blood shed and in the sacrifices paid, a spirit that was born on the beaches and hills of Gallipoli from where Australia emerged as a true and strong nation and where the young Diggers showed themselves to be true warriors who watched over their friends, their comrades and who, at Lone Pine, at Suvla Bay, became brothers forever bound by an invincible determination and who under the bullets, showed their bravery that nothing could ever shake, that nothing could ever overwhelm.

Far from home, these young men showed all their conviction, their pride and their ardor in battle and were described by the Turks as "true lions who were afraid of nothing and that nothing could stop". On this murderous peninsula, however, the Australians lost thousands of their own in heroic charges such as those that took place at the Nek and led with extreme bravery by the men of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade who, in 45 minutes, under a rain of lead were mowed down without any gain of ground being conquered. This was one of the first examples of courage shown by all the men of the Australian Imperial Force who, in December, after so many losses, almost annihilated, reorganized before going to face a new hell that remained engraved in the thoughts of the veterans who were lucky enough to return home after the war but who, every night, in their nightmares, returned to the hell of the Somme, to the meat grinders of Pozieres where, for less than seven weeks of fury, atrocities and brutality at its height, they were constantly shelled and reduced to pieces by tons of shells which fell on them with shrill whistles which brought despair and death and were, in the shell holes, in a lunar ground, crushed by steel hammers whose blows dragged so many poor souls into the madness of a battle which was, with that of Mouquet Farm, one of the most murderous and bloody of the Great War.The fighting led by the Australian soldiers at Pozieres was of intense brutality and from July 23 to September 3, 1916, they launched no less than 19 attacks against infamous positions such as trenches OG1 and OG2, on the windmill and then on the "Moo Cow Farm". Emerging from their trenches, howling with bayonets forward, they made the Germans tremble, who nicknamed the Diggers the "Kakhi devils". Under murderous machine-gun fire, they advanced with bayonets forward in fighting that often ended in bloodbaths preceded by furious hand-to-hand combat in which fists, rifle butts, trench shovels and bayonets were mixed together, from which so much blood flowed and on which were reflected the faces of men forever changed, of men wounded physically, broken in their spirits but who, despite the hell they endured remained together and strong in the camaraderie that gave them the strength to go over the top but during this cataclysm, their losses were terrible and lost, in a little over 40 days, 23,000 of them and yet, this was only their first battle in the Somme, followed by others just as deadly as at Flers and Gueudecourt then at Villers-Bretonneux, Le Hamel and Amiens where so many sons, brothers and fathers paid the supreme sacrifice and after so much effort, pain, fear, found the silence of an eternal tomb standing in the peace of soils strewn with poppies. A peace for which they fought and fell, a peace in which we stand respectfully today in front of these heroes who, so young, gave their all and for whom I would give the time of my life to honor theirs, to honor their memory and tell who they were, exceptional men who, in France, will forever be loved as our sons.

Thank you so much Arthur, from the bottom of the heart of a young French man who is proud to be considered an adopted Aussie. At the going down of the sun and in the Morning,we will remember him,we will remember them.