The AIF Project

John ARNOLD

Regimental number2555
Place of birthEast Ardsley, Wakefield, Yorkshire, England
SchoolEast Ardsley School, Yorkshire, and St James School, Longton, Staffordshire, England
Age on arrival in Australia30
ReligionChurch of England
OccupationCarpenter
Address14 Carrington Road, Coogee, Sydney, New South Wales
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation30
Height5' 9.5"
Weight141 lbs
Next of kinFather, J Arnold, Hilderston, Staffordshire, England
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date27 July 1915
Place of enlistmentLiverpool, New South Wales
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name17th Battalion, 6th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/34/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A14 Euripides on 2 November 1915
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll55th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 20 July 1916
Age at death32
Age at death from cemetery records32
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 11), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
160
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: John and Hannah ARNOLD, Hilderstone, Staffordshire, England. Native of East Ardsley, Yorks, England
Family/military connectionsBrothers: Captain Charles William ARNOLD, Ceylon Rifles; Thomas Frederick ARNOLD, Veterinary Surgeon.
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Allotted to and proceeded to 55th Bn from 5th Training Bn, Zeitoun, 16 February 1916; joined 55th Bn, Tel el Kebir, 16 February 1916.

Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 19 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916.

Posted missing, 20 July 1916.

Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 26 July 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'.

Handwritten note on B.103, 'buried B5025'.

Note, Red Cross File No 140101: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills 10.10.19.'

Statement, 1658 O.P. MARTIN, 55th Bn (patient, 1st London General Hospital, Camberwell, England), 14 January 1917: 'Informant ['eyewitness'] states that on July 19th he saw Arnold's body brought in.'

Second dtatement, 1658 O.P. MARTIN, 55th Bn (patient, Brandenburg Military Hospital), 8 February 1917: I know that Arnold is killed. I saw his body, he had been wounded in the stomach. This was at Fromelles.I was out with a stretcher party; another party brought him in.'

Third statement, 2846 Pte S. MURRAY, D Company, 55th Bn (patient, 2nd Birmingham War Hospital, Hollymoore, England), 14 February 1917: 'Informant states that about three weeks after July 20 at Fromelles, J. Arnold was found in "No Man's Land" and was buried.'

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, ARNOLD John
Red Cross File No 140101

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