FAMILY LIFE

Arthur Deards Jnr was born on 19th September 1893 in Dungog, son of Arthur & Clara (Levey) Deards. He was one of 8 children, the second of five sons. The Deards family settled in Murwillumbah in 1910 and resided at Terragon and Doon Doon. His brother, Henry, enlisted in 1916 and died in Messines, Belgium, August 1917

ATTESTATION

Arthur was single labourer, eager to do his bit. He travelled to Brisbane on 15^th September 1915 to complete his application which showed his next of kin as his father, Arthur Snr. His medical showed he was 21 years 11 months old, 5ft 1 inches tall (1.78m), weighed 145 lbs (66kgs), with a dark complexion, grey eyes & dark brown hair.  His eyesight was good

The Examining Medical Officer stated that Arthur “can see the required distance with either eye; his heart and lungs are healthy; he has the free use of his joints; and he declares he is not subject to fits of any description. I consider him fit for active service.”  On the second page of the Attestation Paper, he made the following oath in the presence of the Attesting Officer: “I, Arthur Deards, swear that I will well and truly serve our Sovereign Lord the King in the Australian Imperial Force until the end of the War … SO HELP ME, GOD.”  He was Church of England and had a scar above his left knee.

TRAINING AT RIFLE RANGE CAMP, ENOGGERA

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, the men received their vaccinations for smallpox, rabies & plague, then 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 would take several months

The recruits were issued with their uniform: a khaki woollen jacket, heavy cord breeches and the famous slouch hat – turned up on the left and featuring a plain khaki band, chinstrap and “rising sun” badge. A soldier’s equipment also included a dixie (mess tin), water bottle, mug, .303 Lee-Enfield rifle and bayonet.

HOSPITALISATION MEASLES, & DEATH NOVEMBER 1915

Arthur first contracted measles at the training camp. Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that can severely weaken the immune system. In the unsanitary and crowded conditions of military camps like Enoggera infections spread rapidly. Once the body was weakened by measles, soldiers were very vulnerable to secondary bacterial infections—especially bronchial pneumonia, an aggressive lung infection. The measles infection gave Arthur fever, cough, inflammation of the lungs, and compromised his immunity. As the lungs became inflamed and filled with fluid, Arthur would have struggled to breathe. In 1915, there were no antibiotics. The only treatment was bed rest, isolation, fresh air, and supportive care—which was often not enough. Fluid in the lungs, high fever, and exhaustion would eventually overwhelm his body. Arthur Deards died from pneumonia following measles, which was a tragically common and often fatal combination in military training camps during WWI.

FOR HIS SERVICE

Arthur was interred in the Murwillumbah Old Cemetery which was later turned into a park. The headstones of the three war casualties were removed and they are now alternatively commemorated on a plaque. His name is listed on the Banner St Memorial. Arthur’s name is located at panel 186 in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial

If you have any additional information about this individual, we invite you to email us at rsl@msmc.org.au.