Arthur Armitage (Grandie) CONTI

CONTI, Arthur Armitage

Service Number: 185
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen
Born: Brighton, England, 14 March 1876
Home Town: Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales
Schooling: Emanuel School, Clapham & Soham Grammar
Occupation: Insurance Salesman and Inspector, Miner,Accountant,Pianist and Soldier
Died: Heart Attack, Roseville, New South Wales, Australia, 28 August 1961, aged 85 years
Cemetery: Northern Suburbs Memorial Gardens and Crematorium, NSW
Funeral 29 Aug 1961, St Andrew's Church of England, Roseville
Memorials: Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial
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Boer War Service

1 Oct 1899: Involvement Private, 185, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen
6 Mar 1901: Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 185, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 488 notes 5th QIB embarked at Pinkenba 6 Mar 1901 aboard Templemore arriving Port Elizabeth 1 Apr 1901.
5 May 1902: Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 185, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 491 notes 5th QIB embarked at Cape Town 27 Mar 1902 aboard St Andrew returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 30 Apr 1902, disbanded 5 May 1902.

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Biography contributed by Claude McKelvey

When Arthur Armitage Conti enlisted in 1901 in the 5th QIB and his details were published with the rank and file in The Queenslander, 16 Mar 1901, he noted his N.O.K. as Mrs. Conti at Bowen Downs, Aramac. Following his return from the Boer War newspaper reports note he was living in Charters Towers in 1903 and working as a miner when court action in Townsville was initiated to declare him insolvent.

He married Janet Comrie Coutts on 22 Jun 1908 in Queensland and they had 3 children. The BDM Qld marriage registry entry notes his full name as Arthur Armytage Catalani Conti. Newspaper reports indicate that by 1932 they were living in Roseville, NSW, and he was working as an Insurance Salesman/Agent and inspector for the South British Insurance Coy. They were still living in Roseville in 1951 when his wife passed. The BDM NSW registration of his death in 1961 indicates he was the son of Luigi and Emily Conti.

(source- AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 497; Qld State Archives- Boer War Service Paybooks 5th QIB Bk 2, p. 35; various newspaper reports in links).

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