Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Archibald Robert Badenock, known as Archie, was born in Adelaide on the 13th May 1916. He was the oldest of Robert and Catherine Badenoch Kelly’s seven children, Jackie, Keith, Jean, May, Kath and Peggy.
Archie worked as a trimmer, shaping and forming parts for construction. He was just 20 when he had his first interaction with the law when he was apprehended for accepting money from a minor for the purpose of betting. The fine of £5, with 10/ costs was the first of many fines Archie would attract over his lifetime.
With the outbreak of WWII, 24-year-old Archie, was an early enlistee on the 8th June, 1940. He was given the number SX4814 and allocated to the 2/2nd Field workshop. At that time, Archie was married to Ellen Francis, but the couple later divorced. He married Eunice Jemma (Ellen) in May ’44.
By August Archie was posted to the Darwin Overland Maintenance Force and headed to Alice Springs. Following three week’s leave in December that year, Archie was particularly unsettled. In the new year he faced several charges including being absent without leave, injuring public property, and failing to report, despite being warned. He accumulated quite hefty fines, culminating in him being allotted to the 2/48th Battalion reinforcements.
Archie then headed overseas to the Middle East on the ‘Isle de France’, arriving in August ’41. Some time was spent in the Amiriya Staging Camp where Archie decided to unofficially ‘explore and see the sights’, which inevitably attracted a fine. Early the following year ’42 Archie had time in hospital. While attached to the 2/24th Hospital Archie received a substantial fine of £2 for ‘Conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline’. This preceded his return to Australia via Victoria on a hospital ship at the end of June ’42, when he returned to South Australia for continued treatment of his acquired infection.
Sadly, Archie’s mother, 56-year-old Catherine, died on the 24th July ’42, with Archie being granted a week’s leave with pay. Catherine was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery. (Robert lived to be 87 and died in July 72 when he was interred with Catherine.)
Soon after returning to the Australian Special Hospital, Archie again challenged a superior officer’s lawful command and was again substantially fined in September ‘42. The following year began poorly for Archie with a divorce, on the grounds of desertion, being granted to his wife. Then with the 12/43rd, Archie contracted an upper respiratory tract infection in March ’43. That month, Archie’s young brother, 23-year-old Keith Victor enlisted as SX29010 at Loveday, having previously been with the Militia as S37595.
By the latter part of the year, Archie was back with the 2/48th Battalion, serving in New Guinea, arriving via Port Moresby in October ’43. By the 19th November ’43 he was wounded in action but remained with his battalion.
Murray Farquhar in Derrick VC and more recently Mark Johnston in Derrick VC In His Own Words both mention the fighting at Fougasse Corner, Satleberg Road, New Guinea. It was an area thickly covered with bamboo and difficult to traverse. This was where Archie was wounded. Derrick’s note of 20th November describes a major tragedy. ‘Fighting was hard and bitter with casualties mounting up – Sgt Snow Radford being killed while doing a glorious lone assault on Jap bunker positions. The end of a dashing, courageous and fearless soldier, easily the battalion’s best. This may be gathered from the ceremony which took place at his burial the next day. 50 per cent of his company attended to pay their last tribute to a great man.’ Mark Johnson also mentioned the effect of Japanese snipers hidden in the trees. The War Diary reports the 2/48th lost two killed and 15 wounded on this day, compared to 100 Japanese casualties.’
Back home the Advertiser recorded those killed and wounded in action. From Archie’s 2/48th Battalion these included Killed in Action SX7410 Sgt. Robert F. G. Ranford. M.D. Davington. Wounded In Action SX31615 Pte. Ernest H. Brett, Largs Bay. SX6723 Cpl. Archibald E. Heron, Croydon Park SX4814 Pte. Archibald R. Kelly, Adelaide. Wounded In Action. Remaining On Duty SX10909 Pte. William Southern, Prospect.
Soon after, Archie experienced ill health with an extremely high temperature (Pyrexia of Unknown Origin) and dengue fever. By March ’44 he was able to leave Milne Bay for Townsville where he was treated for malaria, causing him to spend some time in the Stonnington Convalescent Home. Finally, back to reasonable health, Archie left Cairns for Morotai and service in Tarakan, arriving early in April ’45. The crossing was marred by Archie again attracting a fine for failing to obey the ship’s Standing Orders.
Less than a month after arriving and in the last months of the war, 28-year-old Archie was killed in action at Tarakan on the 3rd May ’45. John H. Glenn in ‘Tobruk to Tarakan’ described the conditions on the night Archie was killed in action. ‘The night had an ominous disquiet about it. The jungle seemed alive with movement. The falling limbs of a tree, half cut by shell fire, sent anxious eyes peering into the darkness of the forest. The movement of monkeys brought men to their feet, listening until every sound was magnified a hundred-fold and every bush seemed to move. Roundabout midnight the enemy infiltrated into B company. That night became hideous with the cries of men and the sound of explosions as the Japs hurled fused 75mm shells amongst our men.’
The Chronicle carried the names of Archie and SX8386, Private Leonard Gale from Adelaide, also of the 2/48th battalion, who had been killed. Initially Archie was buried in the field, but in July ’45 he was re-buried in the Labuan War Cemetery in Plot 24 Row A Grave 6. His family chose the inscription ‘No suffering now, but everlasting peace’ for his headstone.
Others from his battalion rest nearby. They include 31-year-old NX90575 Private M McGillion, 25-year-old WX12035 Corporal E Johns, 25-year-old SX13639 Corporal A Badman, 25-year-old WX32775 Corporal R Winter, killed the same day as Archie, 19-year-old Private WX22750 R McLeod, 31-year-old SX7964 Lieutenant Diver Derrick, 28-year-old WX9876 Corporal T Ryan, 24-year-old SX8386 Private L Gale, 23-year-old NX119119 Private F Wells and 34-year-old SX9122 Private H Page.
Back home, Archie’s family continued to remember him.
Advertiser Thursday 10 May 1945, KELLY, SX4814 Pte.—ln memory of my dear brother, killed in action. May 1945.—Ever remembered by his sister Cath. (Mrs. Dingle), son-in-law Jack, and niece Valerie. KELLY, SX4814 Pte.—In memory of my dear brother, Arch, killed in action overseas in May, 1945. Remembered always. lnserted by his sister Jean, brother-in-law. Son, and niece and nephew. Cath and George. KELLY, SX4814 Pte.—In memory of my dear brother, Arch, killed in action. May. 1945. Thoughts go back to bygone days. Time goes on but memories stay. Inserted by loving brother. Keith (AIF)
Advertiser Friday 3 May 1946, KELLY SX4814, Pte. A. R.—ln loving memory of our dear son-in-law, killed in landing of Tarakan, May 3. 1945. We are thinking of you today, thinking of the past, picturing you in memory as we saw you last.—Ever remembered by his loved ones at Broken Hill. KELLY.—In loving memory of our brother and son Archie, killed in action. Tarakan, May 3, 1945. Though your grave is too far away to see, it's not too far to think of thee. —Remembered always by dad, sisters and brothers. KELLY. —Loving memories of Archie, k.i.a, Tarakan, May 3, 1945. Often In my silent thoughts I wish that you were here; you are one of the boys that never came home when they sounded the last all clear. —Inserted by his great friend, J. W. Hall and family.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.