BENTLEY, Arthur
| Service Number: | 1716 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 January 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 13th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Flemington, New South Wales, Australia, 3 February 1890 |
| Home Town: | Menai, Sutherland Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia , 10 January 1975, aged 84 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Tweed Heads Lawn Cemetery |
| Memorials: | Miranda Central Public School Memorial, Sutherland WW1 Memorial Wall |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1716, 13th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Mar 1915: | Involvement Private, 1716, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Mar 1915: | Embarked Private, 1716, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Sydney | |
| 29 Aug 1916: | Honoured Military Medal, Mouquet Farm |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Arthur Bentley was the son of Charles and Gertrude Bentley of Menai, Sutherland, New South Wales. He was married to Margaret Winthrop Bentley in 1915. He enlisted about the same time as his brother, 1722 Private George Alfred Bentley, and they were both in the 13th Battalion.
Arthur landed on Gallipoli during May 1915, until he was evacuated to Egypt with a septic knee during August 1915.
Arthur Bentley was recommended and awarded a Military Medal for his actions near Mouquet Farm, “During the attack on German trenches north west of Pozieres on 29th August 1916, this N.C.O. made several excursions into No Man's Land and carried in wounded men under heavy artillery and trench mortar fire. He afterwards volunteered to man an advanced bombing post, the defenders of which had been killed by the heavy shell fire, and held it until relieved 30 hours later.”
He was badly wounded the next day, with a gunshot wound to the chest and was eventually evacuated to England. Due to the severity of his wound, he was evacuated to Australia during January 1917.
His brother, 2nd Lieutenant George Alfred Bentley 13th Battalion AIF was killed in action at Stormy Trench near Gueudecourt, France, only weeks later, on 4 February 1917.
In the local newspapers it was reported, “Mrs. W. Bentley of Menai via Sutherland, has received word that her husband, Corporal Arthur Bentley, is wounded, und dangerously ill. Corporal Bentley was a member of the Menai Cricket Club.”
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