The AIF Project

Arthur Thomas STRANGER

Regimental number165A
Place of birthTorbay, Albany, Western Australia
SchoolState School, Western Australia
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationEngine cleaner
AddressSt Leonard's Avenue, Leederville, Western Australia
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation19
Height5' 9"
Weight161 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs E Stranger, 68 St Leonard's Avenue, Leederville, Western Australia
Previous military serviceServed in the 86th Infantry, Citizen Military Forces; still serving at time of AIF enlistment.
Enlistment date15 February 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll12 February 1915
Place of enlistmentPerth, Western Australia
Rank on enlistmentCorporal
Unit name28th Battalion, A Company
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/45/1
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia,
30 Officers and 982 Other Ranks embarked at Fremantle on HMAT A11 'Ascanius' on 29 June 1915; 12 others embarked at Fremantle on HMAT A36 'Thirty-Six' on 12 July 1916. From Embarkation Records it is not possible to distinguish the latter 12.
Regimental number from Nominal Roll165A
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll32nd Battalion
Other details from Roll of Honour CircularWe understand that had he survived he would have been recommended for a Commission and Decoration for bravery up to the time of his death. (details from parents)
FateKilled in Action 20 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFrance
Age at death21
Age at death from cemetery records21
Place of burialRation Farm Military Cemetery (Plot VIII, Row D, Grave No. II), La Chapelle d'Armentieres, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
121
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Thomas James and Elizabeth M. STRANGER, 74 St. Leonard Avenue, West Leederville, Western Australia
Family/military connectionsFather: 872 Sergeant Thomas James STRANGER, 59th Railway Company, died of disease, 10 April 1918.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front

Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 4 September 1915.

Admitted to No 7 Field Ambulance, Anzac, 25 October 1915 (cellustitis of face); discharged and rejoined 28 Bn, 5 November 1915.

Promoted Temporary Sergeant, 10 December 1915.

Disembarked Alexandria, ex-Mudros, 10 January 1916.

Reverted to the rank of Corporal, 12 February 1916.

Transferred to Pioneer Bn, Ismailia, 11 March 1916.

Taken on strength of 32nd Bn, Duntroon Plateau, 6 April 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916.

Posted missing, 20 July 1916.

Posted as missing for 3 months and struck off strength, 20 October 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 12 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'.

Note, Red Cross File No 2650211: 'No trace Germany[.] Cert. by Capt. Mills. 10.10.19.'

Statement, 1351 Pte S.M. REDMOND, D Company, 32nd Bn (patient, 1st Birmingham War Hospital, England), 18 February 1917: Informant states that on 19th July 1916 at 8.30 p.m. at Fleurbaix he saw Stranger last in No Man's Land at the beginning of an attack. He was hit by shrapnel and killed. Several other men saw the occurrence. Informant states that he actually saw seven of the missing men in his Battalion killed.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, STRANGER Arthur Thomas
Red Cross file 2650211

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