Arthur Cecil CORFE DSO 2 Bars

CORFE, Arthur Cecil

Service Number: 119
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry
Born: Christchurch, New Zealand, 5 December 1878
Home Town: Toowoomba, Toowoomba, Queensland
Schooling: Christ's College, Toowoomba Grammar School
Occupation: Bank Officer
Died: London, England, 30 January 1949, aged 70 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Brookwood Cemetery (London Necropolis)
Memorials: Toowoomba Grammar School South African Honour Roll, Toowoomba Grammar School WW1 Bravery Deeds, Toowoomba Grammar School WW1 Honour Board
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Boer War Service

1 Oct 1899: Involvement Private, 119, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry

World War 1 Service

Date unknown: Involvement Lieutenant Colonel, Royal West Kent Regiment

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Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

Son of Charles Carteret CORFE and Emily Hudson nee EVISON

Arthur was active in most athletic sports and was a member of the Australian rugby team that played against England during their 1899 tour.

Arthur was Captain and Adjutant of the 10th Contingent and sailed for South Africa on board the Norfolk on the 19th April 1902. He was a bank officer employed by the Bank of New South Wales in Christchurch, New Zealand.

LONDON 2nd April.
A few months back the announcement was made that a second Bar to the D.S.O., had been conferred upon Lieutenant-Colonel Arthur Cecil Corfe, D.S.O., South African Defence Force, and Royal West Kent Regiment. Colonel Corfe is an Old Boy of Christ’s College. The Bar was bestowed upon him for “conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of his battalion during an attack. The assaulting troops in front were checked by heavy rifle fire from a strong point. He at once went forward, and by his inspiring presence and personal leadership reduced the strong point and killed the occupants. He was severely wounded, but continued the advance until exhausted from loss of blood. His splendid example was of the highest value at a critical moment.”

Information has been received by private cable that Lieut.-Colonel A.C. Corfe, D.S.O., Royal West Kent Regiment, who has been a prisoner in Germany since March 23rd, has arrived in England “looking splendid”; that Captain Anstruther Corfe, Australian Army Medical Corps, has come through the war in good health; and that Lieut. Duncan Corfe, of the Australian Tunnelling Corps, has been awarded the Military Cross.

When Lieut.-Col. A.C. Corfe, D.S.O., Royal West Kent Regiment, reached Leith on repatriation from Germany, he had in his possession (states the London correspondent of the Post) a bag containing 36,000 German marks, and was loudly cheered by his fellow-passengers as he passed down the gangway. Colonel Corfe is an Old Boy of Christ’s College, and has been in South Africa for some years. He was captured by the Germans in May last year, and was sent with 600 other British officers to the prison camp at Graudenz, in West Prussia. The Germans, he says, did the British officers out of their money when they captured them, but after the armistice the officers made a determined attempt to get it restored, and the result was the 36,000 marks of which Colonel Corfe became custodian. Colonel Corfe has two bars to his D.S.O.

CORFE Arthur Cecil of 9 Chalcot-Square London N.W.1 died 30 January 1949 Probate London 4 October to Violet Georgina Corfe widow. Effects £2336 7s. 10d.

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