FAMILY LIFE

Arthur Bonser was born c1890 in Bundanoon, New South Wales. He married Idalia Sergeant in Murwillumbah in 1910.  They had a son, Sydney, born 1910 and a daughter, Sylvia, born in 1914.  Arthur was engaged in dairying and banana growing. As a sportsman he had the distinction of being a Tweed representative footballer for 20 years and, as a rake, was ranked as among the best north of Sydney. He retired from the game in 1927. He was also a member of the Murwillumbah Fire Brigade for two years, until he resigned to enlist. Arthur’s name is on the Banner St Memorial, Murwillumbah which lists the 2348 pioneer settlers of the Tweed district

ATTESTATION

He was a labourer and travelled to Brisbane on 7^th March 1916 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his wife, Idalia, of South Murwillumbah. 

He then signed a declaration confirming he had answered the questions correctly and was willing to voluntarily agree to service in the Military Forces of the Commonwealth of Australia

Arthur also agreed to allot three fifths of the pay payable to him from time to time during his service to the support of his wife

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CERTIFICATE OF ATTESTING OFFICER

On the second page of the attestation documents the attesting confirms the following; “The foregoing questions were read to the person enlisted in my presence. I have taken care that he understood each question, and his answer to each question has been duly entered as replied to by him”

OATH

He also made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Arthur Bonser, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War, and a further four months thereafter unless sooner lawfully discharged, dismissed or removed therefrom: and that I will resist His Majesty’s enemies and case His Majesty’s peace to be kept and maintained; and I will in all matters appertaining to my services faithfully discharge my duty according to law

SO, HELP ME, GOD.” 

MEDICAL EXAMINATION

His medical showed he was 26 years 2 months old, 5ft 5 inches tall (1.65m), weighed 159 lbs (72kgs), with a medium complexion, blue eyes & dark brown hair. His eyesight was good. Arthur was Church of England and had 3 vaccination marks on his left arm, a scar on his right knee and another on his left knee.  

CERTIFICATE OF MEDICAL EXAMINER

The medical examiner certifies I have examined the abovenamed person, and find that he does not present any of the following conditions, viz: -

Scrofula; phthisis; syphilis; impaired constitution; defective intelligence; defects of vision, voice, or hearing; hernia’ haemorrhoids; varicose veins, beyond a limited extent; marked varicocele with unusually pendent testicle; inveterate cutaneous disease’ chronic ulcers; traces of corporal punishment or evidence of having been marked with the letters D. or B.C; contracted or deformed chest; abnormal curvature of spine; or any other disease or physical defect calculated to unfit him for the duties of a soldier.

He can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints and limbs; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service

CERTIFICATE OF COMMANDING OFFICER

This is completed during the recruits training. Arthur was in Enoggera training camp when this was completed on 10^th May 1916. The commanding officer certifies that this attestation of the abovenamed person is correct, and that the required forms have been complied with. He then states “I accordingly approve, and appoint him as a private into the 41^st Battalion, B Coy with service No 603

41^ST INFANTRY BATTALION

The 41st Battalion of the Australian Imperial Force was raised in Bells’ Paddock Camp, Brisbane in February 1916, drawing recruits from Queensland and northern New South Wales. It was part of the 11th Brigade in the 3rd Australian Division. The 41st Infantry Battalion is remembered for its resilience and dedication

ENOGGERA TRAINING CAMP

As was the case with men from the Northern Rivers district in New South Wales, they trained at Rifle Range Camp, Enoggera near Brisbane. The Barracks Block was built as accommodation for men in two dormitories, each 36 feet by 22 feet (10.97 x 6.7 metres). Beds or bunks were not provided, instead each man slept on a palliasse with ground sheet on the floor. For many it was their first time away from home. Men from every walk of life, from clerks and teachers to factory and shop workers, were crammed together

Now training for the new recruits began. Firstly, a recruit had to be inducted into military forms of discipline, command, and order. This was partially achieved through a program of basic training carried and, in a sense, was maintained for a long as a man was in the service. It involved marching and drilling with the rifle, cleaning and caring for personal equipment and being supervised and inspected in ways quite different to ordinary civilian life. For example, no boots should be allowed to get in a bad state of wear but must be sent to the bootmaker without delay for repair. Men who were found with hair long and unshaven had to have a haircut and shave

Secondly, after basic training there followed the far more serious exercise of turning a man into a fighting soldier at least partially prepared for the kind of warfare he was about to experience overseas. The topics and exercises in the syllabus of training were a world away from their former lives and included daily physical training, entrenching, wiring, firing rifle grenades, firing the Lewis light machine gun, dealing with gas attack, using hand grenades, using the bayonet, and the routines to be followed in the trenches.

This training was then put into practice during what were called ‘Field Days,’ when men would practice using the skills they had acquired in mock attacks both by day and by night. How well men had learnt to use their weapons, in cooperation with each other in training, would be tested in the harsh reality of the front line. Training could take several months

INNOCULATIONS

All recruits were given a range of inoculations while in camp. The most important jab was to protect against smallpox and typhoid – indeed, having this was an essential precondition of enlisting.

THE UNIFORM

The recruits were issued with their uniform- service dress jacket was made of Australian wool and its loose fit gave the wearer more allowance for movement. The four large pockets were very useful. A unique feature designed for comfort was the pleated back, which provided a double thickness of cloth down the back that the pack rubbed against. Breeches were corduroy worn with wool wrap puttees. The famous khaki felt slouch hat or early service cap is probably the most distinctive part of the uniform. turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge.

SOLDIER’S KIT

Australia's World War I soldiers went to war weighed down by almost 30 kilograms of clothes, weapons, tools and kit.

·      Breeches: made from khaki woollen cord fabric, with side pockets and button flies. Soldiers were issued with two pairs of breeches, plus a pair of dungarees. The breeches ended above the ankles and the gap was filled with puttees.

·      Braces: worn with breeches.

·      Puttees: The men wound these strips of woollen cloth, almost three metres long, upwards from the ankle to just below the knee. Soldiers disliked the puttees, probably with good reason: the tight binding restricted circulation and might even have contributed to the high incidence of trench foot. Mounted troops wore leather leggings.

·      Shirt: Soldiers were given two grey, collarless, flannel shirt, plus a military shirt.

·      Ankle boots: brown and lace-up.

·      Socks: Made from wool or cotton. Soldiers were issued with three pairs.

·      Greatcoat: the khaki woollen coat (which weighed about 3kg) often doubled as a soldier's bedding and was his chief protection against the cold and wet. The coat came into its own when snow hit Gallipoli in November 1915 and also on the Western Front.

·      Jersey

·      Singlets: Soldiers were issued with 2 woollen singlets.

·      Cotton "drawers" (underpants): Soldiers were issued with two pairs.

·      Abdominal belts: a sort of cummerbund that was issued to keep soldiers warm and supposedly ward off disease.

·      Backpacks and webbing: The main backpack was a rectangular sack measuring about 15 inches x 13 inches, closed at the top by a folding cover secured by two straps. The webbing included a web belt, cartridge pouches, small haversack, bayonet frog, an entrenching tool holder (plus another holder for its handle), and a water-bottle holder.

·      Identity disc: Soldiers were initially issued with one medal "dog tag" on a cord, but later in the war they were given two tags, made of compressed fibre.

·      Soldiers were also issued with a "housewife" - a sewing kit containing such items as needles, thimble, thread, wool and button so they could carry out running repairs.

·      Also in their kit were a short-magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle, a rifle sling, a bayonet and scabbard, and an "entrenching tool" (they were "diggers" after all). This came in two parts, with the helve (handle) separate from the spade part.

·      Soldiers were issued with eating equipment (knife, fork, spoon, an enamel mug, water bottle (with two-point capacity), and a mess tin with carrier.

·      They also had a clasp knife (with marlin spike, tin-opener and lanyard), razor, shaving kit, soap, comb, two towels, field dressing (carried in the tunic's inside pocket), and a hold-all, in which they could pack their private possessions.

·      No item was probably looked after more carefully than their service pay book: privates were paid six shillings a day

VOYAGE OVERSEAS SYDNEY TO ENGLAND MAY 1916

On the 16^th May 1916 the men boarded the troop train for Sydney and ono the 18^th May 1916, the recruits left Sydney, sailing upon the HMAT Demosthenes. The epic voyage across the ocean has been described as “the longest journey to war in the history of the world.” They thought it was the start of a new adventure- for many it was their first time so far away from home. However, after some time at sea the biggest problem turned out to be boredom. On-board, Officers organised rigorous training drills and exercise sessions for the men. They were expected to do their own washing, sweep the decks and carry out other chores

Attempts at breaking up the boredom, apart from the regular drill, varied. Shipboard activities included regular church parades and concerts. Troops engaged in lifebelt drill; a cookhouse on deck; soldiers on fatigues peeling potatoes 'spud bashing'; going to the dentist; barber, pay day; soldiers cleaning personal equipment; medical inspection. Sports and recreation included boxing, deck quoits, draughts. Also, the commanding officer's morning inspection; kit inspections; submarine drill; recreation such as the on deck 'open air' library, deck billiards, pillow fighting and card games including Nap. As well, conditions on the ships were cramped and the risk of illness was constant. 

Three hearty meals a day were served; breakfast usually consisted of porridge, stew, and tea. Lunch included soup, meat, vegetables, and pudding. Meat, bread with jam and tea was served for dinner. Many of the troops experienced bouts of seasickness on the voyage. The crossing the Equator ceremony, ‘Neptune’s Journey,’ was played-out on each troopship.

DISCIPLINED JUNE 1916

While on board on 22^nd June Arthur committed the crime of breaking away from quarters (i.e. leaving his cabin without permission) and forfeited 18 day’s pay.

DURRINGTON TRAINING CAMP

They arrived in England mid-July. They had already completed their basic training in Australia but over many more tough months, in the English training camp, the volunteers left their old lives farther behind.

When the recruits arrived in England, they entered a period of intensive preparation that was both physically demanding and strategically vital.

Life in camp was austere and relentless. The recruits lived in wooden huts that offered little protection from the English weather, and the damp cold of the Plain came as a shock to men who had trained in Australia and/or Egypt. Days began early, often before dawn, with physical training designed to build endurance and toughness. Long route marches across the open downs were a regular feature, men carrying full packs, rifles, ammunition, and equipment as they were conditioned for the demands of trench warfare.

Training was systematic and increasingly realistic. The men would have spent many hours on the parade ground mastering drill, weapon handling, and unit manoeuvres, but the focus soon shifted to battlefield skills. The battalion practised trench warfare techniques, including entering and clearing enemy trenches, bombing drills with Mills grenades, bayonet fighting, and the rapid consolidation of captured positions. Specially constructed practice trenches on Salisbury Plain allowed officers and NCOs to rehearse attacks down to the smallest detail, ensuring that every man understood his role once the battalion went into action.

Musketry training was constant. The men would have fired thousands of rounds on the rifle ranges, honing accuracy, and speed, learning to fire from awkward positions and under time pressure. Lewis gun teams trained separately, while all infantrymen were taught how to operate the weapon if needed. Gas warfare instruction was also compulsory; men practised donning respirators under simulated gas attacks, a grim but necessary preparation for conditions at the front.

Between training cycles, the battalion undertook further instruction at nearby camps on Salisbury Plain, including periods at Perham Down, another major training area used to relieve overcrowding and provide additional field space. Here the emphasis was on large-scale exercises involving entire brigades, practising attacks behind creeping artillery barrages, night operations, and movement under cover. These exercises often lasted days, with men sleeping in the open, reinforcing the endurance and discipline required for front-line service.

Despite the hard routine, there were moments of respite. When training schedules allowed, the men may have been granted short leave to nearby towns such as Salisbury or even London, where Australian soldiers briefly escaped the rigours of camp life. These interludes, however, were short-lived, and by autumn the training intensified as the battalion’s departure for France drew closer.

After many months of continuous preparation in England, the Battalion was judged ready for active service. The recruits had been transformed from a newly arrived reinforcement into a fully trained infantryman, accustomed to discipline, hardship, and the mechanics of modern war. When the battalion finally crossed to France, it did so as a cohesive and well-drilled unit, prepared—so far as training could allow—for the brutal realities of the Western Front.

TRENCH WARFARE NOVEMBER 1916

After training in Australia and Britain, Arthur & the 41st Battalion arrived in France on 25 November 1916. It entered the front line for the first time on Christmas Eve and spent the bleak winter of 1916-17 alternating between service in the front line, and training and labouring in the rear areas.

. The recruits now found themselves fighting the German in trench warfare. On the Western Front in 1914–1918, both sides constructed elaborate trench, underground, and dugout systems opposing each other along a front, protected from assault by barbed wire. The area between opposing trench lines (known as "no man's land") was fully exposed to artillery fire from both sides. Attacks, even if successful, often sustained severe casualties. Trench warfare created a living environment for the men which was harsh, stagnant, and extremely dangerous. Not only were trenches constantly under threat of attack from shells or other weapons, but there were also many health risks that developed into large-scale problems for medical personnel. Apart from the inescapable cold during the winters in France & Belgium, trenches were often completely waterlogged and muddy, and crawling with lice and rats.

The time soldiers spent in the trenches varied depending on factors like their army's rotation system and the intensity of the conflict in their sector. On average:

·      Front-line trenches: Soldiers typically remained here for about 4–6 days at a time. This was where the fighting was most intense and the conditions were the harshest.

·      Support and reserve trenches: After time on the front line, soldiers were rotated to these positions for around 6–12 days. These trenches were set further back and offered slightly better conditions.

·      Rest periods: Soldiers were then moved away from the trench system entirely for rest, training, and recovery, often lasting several weeks, depending on operational needs.

The rotation system helped prevent complete physical and mental exhaustion, but the constant dangers of trench life meant there was rarely any true respite.

ARMENTIERES SECTOR NOVEMBER 1916

LA CHAPELLE D’ARMENTIERES DECEMBER 1916

The battalion moved into the Armentières sector, a comparatively quiet part of the line that was often used to introduce newly arrived formations to trench warfare. Nevertheless, "quiet" was a relative term. Arthur would have spent his first weeks becoming accustomed to front-line conditions—rotating between trenches, support positions and reserve camps, carrying out wiring parties, repairing trenches damaged by shellfire, standing sentry duty, and enduring the bitter winter weather of northern France. The battalion entered the front line for the first time on Christmas Eve 1916 at the Mushroom Salient near La Chapelle-d'Armentières

HOSPITALISATION VENEREAL DISEASE

On 14^th January 1917 Arthur was admitted to the 51^st General Hospital, Rouen with venereal disease. The sense of adventure, the loneliness, and the loss of family life that overwhelmed many of the overseas volunteers during the First World War often found them on leave in large cities or small towns where alcohol and women were plentiful, and a lack of available prophylaxis allowed the spread of diseases such as gonorrhoea and syphilis to reach epidemic levels. Historians claim that the average incidence rate for this disease in the AIF was around 12 per cent

Treatment for VD was a punishment in its own right. Special hospitals for VD patients were set up and often regarded as deterrent. Patients would be treated with Salvarsan and mercury which offered uncomfortable and sometimes serious side effects such as jaundice and convulsions. Other treatments included irrigation, which was painful and undignified resulting in many men to opt for chemical treatment instead. These long and uncomfortable stays in VD hospitals often averaged between 50 and 60 days, with most patients recovering and returning to the front.

REJOINED UNIT MARCH 1917

Arthur was released after 36 days and rejoined his unit on 24th March 1917. While he was absent, the 41st Battalion continued its routine of trench holding and training in the Armentières sector, alternating between front-line service and periods in the rear areas where men attended bombing, musketry and bayonet-training schools. The winter of 1916–17 was particularly harsh, with mud, snow and freezing temperatures making daily life miserable

After rejoining his battalion in March 1917, Arthur became part of the intensive preparations being undertaken by the 3rd Australian Division for its first major offensive. Training increased markedly, with rehearsals for open warfare, practice attacks over taped-out ground and coordination with artillery. In June the division participated in the Battle of Messines, one of the most successful Allied operations of the war.

BATTLE OF MESSINES 7TH JUNE 1917

Compared to some AIF battalions, the 41st's experience of the battles in Belgium during 1917 was relatively straightforward. It had a supporting role at Messines on 7 June. The British tactical objective was to capture the German defences on the ridge, which ran from Ploegsteert Wood in the south, through Messines and Wytschaete to Mt Sorrel, depriving the German 4th Army of the high ground. The ridge gave commanding views of the British defences and back areas of Ypres to the north, from which the allies intended to conduct the Northern Operation, an advance to Passchendaele Ridge and then the capture of the Belgian coast up to the Dutch frontier. The battle began with the detonation of nineteen mines beneath the German front position, which devastated it and left large craters. A creeping barrage, 700 yd (640 m) deep, began and protected the troops as they secured the ridge with support from tanks, cavalry patrols and aircraft. The effect of the  mines, barrages and bombardments was improved by advances in artillery survey, flash spotting and centralised control of artillery from the Second Army headquarters. The attacks from 8 to 14 June advanced the front line beyond the former German Sehnenstellung (Chord Position, the Oost Taverne Line to the British). 

JUNE AND JULY 1917

Following Messines, the battalion's hardest period of 1917 began. In late June and July the 11th Brigade was ordered to establish a new line west of Warneton. The work became notorious within the battalion as "the 18 Days." Men laboured continuously under German observation and shellfire, digging trenches, constructing strongpoints and carrying supplies forward across exposed ground. Casualties mounted steadily even when no major battle was taking place.

THIRD BATTLE OF YPRES JULY 1917

When the Third Battle of Ypres commenced on 31 July 1917, the 41st Battalion occupied positions in the Ypres salient. Arthur and his comrades endured relentless shellfire, flooded trenches and constant rain. Conditions were appalling. Trenches collapsed, duckboards disappeared beneath mud, and movement often became exhausting. Disease flourished in these damp conditions, and many soldiers suffered respiratory illnesses as well as exhaustion. Battalion platoons were reduced drastically by casualties and sickness.

This battle that served as a vivid symbol of the mud, madness, and senseless slaughter of the Western Front. The third and longest battle to take place at the Belgian city of Ypres, Passchendaele was ostensibly an Allied victory, but it was achieved at enormous cost for a piece of ground that would be vacated the following year. Hundreds of thousands of soldiers on opposing sides attacked and counterattacked across sodden, porridgelike mud, in an open gray landscape almost empty of buildings or natural cover, all under the relentless harrowing rain of exploding shells, flying shrapnel, and machine-gun fire. Few gains were made. 

HOSPITALISATION AUGUST 1917

The start of August found the 41st holding ground captured by two of its sister battalions in a feint attack on 31 July. Enduring continual rain, flooded trenches and heavy shelling many of the battalion's platoons dwindled from 35 men to less than ten.

It was amidst these conditions that Arthur's health finally broke down. On 30 August 1917 he was hospitalised suffering from influenza and bronchitis. Such illnesses were extremely common on the Western Front. Continuous exposure to cold rain, damp clothing, poor sleeping conditions and physical exhaustion weakened soldiers' resistance to infection. Bronchitis caused inflammation of the airways, producing severe coughing, chest pain, breathlessness and fever, while influenza often left men weak for months. Treatment generally involved rest, warmth, nourishing food, expectorant medicines and nursing care, but recovery could be slow and relapses frequent. Arthur was hospitalised on 30^th August and rejoined his unit on 30^th September

HOSPITALISATION 1917- 1918 INFLUENZA/BRONCHITIS

This explains why Arthur spent much of the period from August 1917 until January 1918 moving between hospitals, convalescent depots and recovery camps. Many soldiers who suffered serious respiratory infections found themselves repeatedly returned to medical care after attempts to resume duty.

Sadly, Arthur returned to hospital and spent the rest of 1917 & January 1918 mostly with influenza/ bronchitis. This was a dangerous disease to have in an area with a lot of people who would continue to spread the infection. Many people died with this disease which could cause trouble breathing or shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, seizures and/or severe weakness or muscle pain. There was no effective medical treatment for influenza or bronchitis. The Army Nurse Corps was critical for soldier’s care. Symptom management by skilled supportive nursing care was the best predictor of positive patient outcomes and decreases in mortality rates. This care consisted of duties such as administering medications, monitoring vital signs, fever control, providing hydration, rest, dressing changes, open-air therapy, bed baths, clean bedding, feeding, back and chest rubs with camphorated sweet oil, and cleaning the ward.

For Arthur personally, the period from November 1916 to January 1918 was marked less by dramatic wounds than by the equally debilitating hardships of military life—months of trench warfare around Armentières, the great offensive at Messines, the exhausting labour and shellfire around Warneton and Ypres, and then a prolonged struggle against illness that kept him away from his mates for much of the latter half of 1917.

REJOINED UNIT JANUARY 1918

By the time he was finally fit enough to rejoin his battalion on 26 January 1918, he had been absent from the unit for almost five months, missing the 41st Battalion's participation in the battles of Broodseinde and the later stages of the Passchendaele campaign. Training, route marches, musketry practice and working parties occupied much of the men's time as they prepared for another campaigning season. The winter was cold and wet, but compared with the mud and shellfire of Passchendaele, the period offered a welcome opportunity to rest and reorganise.

FURLOUGH FEBRUARY 1918

Arthur was fortunate enough to be granted leave to England from 9 to 20 February 1918, a brief respite from the front and an opportunity to enjoy comforts that had been absent from a soldier's life for many months.

GERMAN SPRING OFFENSIVE MARCH 1918

Soon after his return, events on the Western Front took a dramatic turn. On 21 March 1918 the German Army launched its great Spring Offensive, known as Operation Michael, in a desperate attempt to win the war before overwhelming American manpower arrived in Europe. The Allied front was driven back across the Somme, and the Australian divisions were rushed south to help stem the advance. The 41st Battalion left its rest area and moved rapidly towards the battle zone around Amiens, where it was committed to defensive operations designed to halt the German assault

WOUNDED IN ACTION MARCH 1918

It was during these desperate operations that Arthur was severely wounded. On 28 March 1918, while the 41st Battalion was engaged in fighting associated with the German offensive in the Somme sector, he received a severe gunshot wound to his right shoulder and arm. The battalion was then involved in the confused and dangerous fighting around the approaches to Amiens, helping block the enemy's advance and holding vital ground under intense artillery and machine-gun fire. Men often fought from hastily prepared positions, and casualties were heavy as German troops pressed forward.

EVACUATED TO ENGLAND MARCH 1918

Arthur's wound was serious enough to require evacuation through the casualty chain. From the regimental aid post he would have passed through field ambulances and casualty clearing stations before being transported to a base hospital and then across the Channel to England. A gunshot wound to the shoulder could be particularly troublesome, as bullets frequently shattered the collarbone, damaged muscles and tendons, or lodged near the shoulder joint. Treatment commonly involved surgery to remove bone fragments and foreign matter, followed by lengthy immobilisation of the arm.

He was admitted to the General Military Hospital at Colchester, where he remained under treatment while surgeons and medical staff worked to restore the use of his arm. Recovery from such wounds was often slow. Even when the danger had passed, patients faced months of physiotherapy and gradual exercise to regain strength and movement.

CONVALESCENCE  DEPOT MAY 1918

By 20 May 1918 Arthur had improved sufficiently to be transferred to No. 1 Convalescent Depot. These depots acted as a bridge between hospital and active service. Men undertook light duties, physical training and medical inspections while their fitness was assessed. The object was to return soldiers to duty only when they were strong enough to withstand the demands of front-line service.

DISCIPLINED

Arthur returned to the depot on 16^th May drunk, and forfeited 2 day’s pay. 

FURLOUGH

He was given furlough on 20^th May to 3^rd June and reported to command post at Sutton Veney. He was classified B1, which meant he was able to march 5 miles, see to shoot with glasses, and hear well. Here he would convalesce but continue with drilling & training as the technology and techniques were rapidly changing and soldiers had to be up to date when they were ready to rejoin their units. On 26^th June he was transferred to Longbridge Deverill, which is a village and civil parish about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) south of Warminster in Wiltshire, England. From mid-1917, those ill or injured that were deemed fit enough to resume active service were then sent from the Command Depots to the Overseas Training Brigade to harden them up for life back in the trenches.

REJOINED UNIT JULY 1918

Arthur spent nearly two more months progressing through this system before finally being declared fit to return to France. On 10 July 1918 he rejoined the 41st Battalion.

THE HUNDED DAY OFFENSIVE

By then the German offensive had been defeated and the initiative was passing to the Allies. Arthur returned just weeks before the opening of the great Allied offensives of August 1918, which would eventually force Germany to seek an armistice and bring the war to an end. His return to duty after nearly four months recovering from a severe wound was a testament to both his resilience and determination to resume service alongside his comrades.

The Allies launched their own offensive on 8 August 1918, and the 41st played an active role both in the initial attack and the long advance that followed throughout August and into September. The Hundred Days Offensive was a series of Allied attacks between 8 August and 11 November 1918 that ultimately led to the end of World War I. It began with the Battle of Amiens, where British, French, and Canadian forces launched a surprise assault that shattered German defences.

Following this success, the Allies continued their rapid advance, forcing German troops to retreat from their positions along the Hindenburg Line. The offensive saw coordinated attacks across the Western Front, with British, French, American, and Belgian forces pushing the Germans back.

THE BATTLE OF ST QUENTIN CANAL SEPTEMBER AND OCTOBER 1918

The 41st participated in its last major action of the war between 29 September and 2 October 1918 as part of the Australian-American operation that breached the formidable defences of the Hindenburg Line along the St Quentin Canal. The Battle of St Quentin Canal (September 29 – October 10, 1918) was a pivotal engagement during World War I, forming part of the Hundred Days Offensive. It was fought along the Hindenburg Line, a heavily fortified German defensive position, with the goal of breaking through one of its strongest sections.

The battle involved British, Australian, and American forces under the command of General Sir Henry Rawlinson. The Australian Corps, led by Lieutenant General Sir John Monash, played a key role, alongside American divisions. The Germans had incorporated the St Quentin Canal into their defences, making it a formidable obstacle.

Despite fierce resistance, the Allies successfully breached the Hindenburg Line, marking a significant turning point in the war. The battle resulted in heavy casualties, with thousands of soldiers lost on both sides. The victory convinced the German high command that their chances of winning the war were diminishing, contributing to the eventual Armistice

GETTING HOME

On 11^th November the fighting was officially over so he prepared to return to Australia. After the Armistice, the Australian Prime Minister Billy Hughes insisted Australian troops be repatriated (returned home) as quickly as possible. This logistical challenge was enormous with 135,000 troops brought home from Britain in 147 voyages, and 16,773 troops from the Middle East in 56 voyages, mostly on a first come, first go basis. There was a lack of suitable ships to transport personnel home and many had to wait many months before they were headed back to Australia.  Arthur returned home per the Nestor on 20^th May 1919.  He was discharged on the July 1919. 

CLOTHING AND NECESSITIES GIVEN TO SOLDIERS FOR SOLDIERS PROCEEDING TO AUSTRALIA FOR DEMOBILISATION

Badges Hat                    Badges Collar (2)                    Bags kit universal

Bags kit sea                   Braces (pair)                            Brush, shaving

Brush, tooth                  Breeches M.S (Military service)

Cap comforter (warm cap)                                           Comb, hair

Disc identity with cord                                                  Drawers (2 pairs)

Great Coat                     Hat, Khaki fur                          Hat, white

Holdall                           Housewife (compact sewing kit)

Jackets Cardigan           Jackets S.D (service dress)

Leggings 1 pair             Laces, leather 1 pair

Puggarees, small (a traditional Indian head wrap, worn in warm conditions

Puttees, 1 pair (cloth bandages worn by soldiers, to provide support and protection for the lower leg)

Razor                              Shirts, flannel (2)                   Socks, 3 pairs

Singlets (2)

Strap chin                      Soap piece                               Suit, working

Towels, hand (2)

Titles “Australia” (4)-
Australian soldiers and non-commissioned officers wore an “Australia” title at the base of their shoulder straps. Each serving soldier also wore unit titles above this which indicated the units to which they belonged

AFTER THE WAR

Arthur lived in Murwillumbah after the war and moved to Carool in 1920 where he was a dairy farmer & a cane grower.

DEATH AND BURIAL

Arthur died on 4^th October 1931 at Marrickville. He had been ill for some time because of nervous troubles arising from his war service. He was given a full military funeral and is buried in Murwillumbah Old Cemetery.  At the cemetery a salute of three rounds was fired. Representatives from Carool Banana Growers, Murwillumbah Fire Brigade, Tweed Rugby Club & Tweed District Council attended

FOR HIS SERVICE

For his service, Arthur was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and the Victory Medal and his name is recorded on the Wall of Remembrance (Southern Villages Memorial), Bundanoon. 

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