Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Arnold was born on the 5th January 1916 at the sheep station, Yardea, near Minnipa in the Gawler Ranges. At the time, the Station was self-sufficient with a granite hill nearby. Fruit and vegetable gardens were productive and at one stage it had both a telegraph and Post Office, plus in the early years also boasted a Police Station with a trooper based there. Motor bikes eventually took over the role of horses and camel, the latter being used to transport wool to the coast.
With the outbreak of WWII, Arnold who worked as a gardener, was one of the early enlistees on the 12th July 1940. He was allocated the number SX8576 and placed in the newly formed 2/48th Battalion. He named his brother, James Thomas, who was then living in Swan Reach as his next of kin. His initial days were spent in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, before the new enlistees headed to Woodside for their preliminary training. The large contingent embarked on the Stratheden for the Middle East, on the 7th November 1940, arriving on the 19th December 1940.
Their 2/48th Battalion completed a few months training in Cyrenaica before going to Tobruk at the start of April 1941 where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to these fresh new enlistees. They were to become the famed Rats of Tobruk.
Soon after arriving, late in November ’41 Arnold contracted Pleurisy, which developed into Basal pneumonia and caused him to be hospitalised for almost two months before he as able to re-join his battalion.
Less than a year after arriving in the Middle East, Arnold was wounded in action early in November ‘42 with multiple gunshot wounds to his back and buttocks. At the time, his battalion had seized Trig 29, a key location in the Battle of El Alamein. John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan painted an image of those days. ‘The troops had never been more tired. Yet, notwithstanding the fact that they had not slept for three nights, all were grimly determined to put everything they had into the fight to hold what had been won. Their spirits were high. All-round teamwork, cooperation, and an eagerness to be dug in by dawn caused every man, irrespective of rank or his particular task, to throw his whole weight behind the battalion.’ Heavy fighting helped capture this feature, but the challenge was in ‘digging in’ to the rocky ground. Glenn added ‘The 2/48th had stirred up a real hornet’s nest; from first light until nine o’clock, the enemy turned all their fury on the Trig area, with particularly heavy fire on 29 itself, hiding the position in dust and smoke.’ In a later comment the men of the battalion were justifiably praised ‘Truly it can be said of these men, “They fought themselves and their enemy to a standstill until flesh and blood could stand no more, then they went on fighting.”’
With so many wounded, on the 7th November plans were in place for the survivors in the 2/48th to visit their wounded mates in hospital. Such was the close camaraderie of the battalion.
Back home, The Chronicle painted a raw image of the extensive effects on the 2/48th Battalion. Killed in action were SX8468 Pte. Patrick H. Hoare, North Broken Hill (NSW); SX13570 Pte. Charles Holman, Broken Hill; SX7771 Pte. Henry O. Lohmann, Murray Bridge; SX6848 Cpt. Alfred F. Meyer. Renmark: SX3149 Col. Arthur H. Peters, Macclesfield; . SX11768 Pte. John R. Smith, Wardang Island; SX13535 Pte. Allan L. Thessinger, Jamestown. Died Of Wounds SX7917 Pte. Leslie A. King, Adelaide. Wounded In Action.— SX7830 Cpl. Kingsley G. Albrecht, Kingston-on-Murray: SX10571 Pte. William G. F. Barnett, Reedy Creek : SX8128 Pte.- Ivan G. Braidwood, Adelaide; SX8749 Pte. K. W. Dack, Med., Clare; SX7559 Pte, Maxwell. C. Fuss, Kimba; SX13602 Pte. George H. G. Gallagher. Paulco Station; SX12854 Pte. Sydney V. Goodes. Curramulka; SX8483 Pte. William T. Harris, Caltowie; SX10527 A-Cpl. Harold E. Hobbs, St. Peter; SX8497 Pte. Charles H. Lawrie, Naracoorte; SX7959 Pte. Edward Lehmann, Lameroo; SX7028 Pte. Murray V. McFarlane, Cobdogla; SX7721 A-Cpl. Hedley H. Pratt, Korunye; SX7244 Pte. Richard Ramsdale, Meadows; SX11154 Pte. R. F. Reed, Cummins; SX11152 Pte William Reed, Cummins; SX8366 S-Sgt. William W. Statton, Alberton; SX7933 Cpl. Walter H. Stewien, Verdun; SX8576 Pte Arnold R. Thomas, Campbelltown; SX11289 Pte. Keith W. Tilmouth, Cleve; SX7278 pte. Robert Tipper, Berri; SX13755 Pte. Eric M. Waye, Victor Harbor; SX7212 Pte. T. L. Woodall Exeter; SX10514 Pte. Allan. W. Wylie Sefton Park.
Because of the extent of his injuries by the end of December, Arnold was quite optimistically declared ‘temporarily unfit for service for a period greater than six months’. He left the Middle East on a Medical Hospital Ship and again contracted pleurisy. By the end of February ’43 The Chronicle was again listing Arnold but this time it was in the Dangerously ill list, but fortunately by early May he was ‘removed from all lists’.
As a result of his physical injuries and of contracting chronic emphysema, after having spent time in the Repatriation Hospital, Arnold was discharged, medically unfit on the 9th November ’43.
Arnold lived in Clapham until aged 74, he died on the 22nd August, 1990. He is now remembered in the Centennial Park Cemetery in Wall 124, Niche E6.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.