UPFIELD, Arthur
| Service Number: | 143 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 1st Light Horse Brigade Train |
| Born: | Alverstoke, Gosport, Hampshire, England, 1 September 1890 |
| Home Town: | Nudgee, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Bushman |
| Died: | Bowral, New South Wales, Australia, 12 February 1964, aged 73 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Sep 1914: | Involvement Driver, 143, 1st Light Horse Brigade Train, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '22' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Anglo Egyptian embarkation_ship_number: A25 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 24 Sep 1914: | Embarked Driver, 143, 1st Light Horse Brigade Train, HMAT Anglo Egyptian, Brisbane |
Arthur Upfield
From Bill Durrant
Another famous Author that served in the AIF - Arthur UPFIELD. My bookcase still holds a large collection of his outback detective-novels featuring ''Bony''.
No.143 Arthur UPFIELD was born in Gosport in Hampshire, but came to Australia in 1911. He claimed to have served for three years with the ‘Hampshire Imperial Yeomanry’ while living in England. He roamed NSW and QLD at various occupations until the outbreak of War.
He stated that he was a 28 year old “Bushman” working at Nudgee in Queensland, when he enlisted in the AIF on the 22nd of August 1914. He embarked from Australia as a member of the 5th Company Army Service Corps – 1st Light Horse Brigade Train, on board the HMAT ‘Omrah’, which departed Brisbane on the 24th of September 1914. The Men were disembarked from the Troopship in Melbourne and kept at the Showground for three weeks. This was so that the men could join the huge fleet of ships that were soon to convey Australian troops to Egypt.
He landed in Egypt where they commenced training in the desert sands with the Pyramids as a backdrop to their activities. In early April he reported sick and was admitted to hospital. He was transferred to a Field Hospital at Heliopolis on the 8th of April, being released on the 12th.
On the 9th of May 1915 he deployed from Egypt to the Dardanelles, and to Gallipoli.
On the 2nd of August he was admitted to the Hospital-Ship ‘Galeka’ with gastritis, evacuated back to Egypt, and admitted to the No.1 General Hospital at Alexandria. On the 12th of August he was transferred to the Australian & New Zealand Convalescent Camp.
On the 3rd of November 1915 he married a 32 year old Army Nurse, a Miss Anne DOUGLAS, and the ceremony being performed by the British Consul General, at Alexandria in Egypt.
On the 1st of February 1916 he was charged with “Disobeying an Order” and as punishment was Confined to Barracks for two Days and awarded an extra ‘Piquet’. On the 18th of February 1916 he was detached for Duty at an Aerodrome Camp. On the 22nd of April he was admitted to hospital with sunstroke, being discharged back to duty, several days later, on the 26th.
In early June he was sent to England, marching into the Training-Depot at Parkhouse on the 12th of June 1916. On the 13th of November 1916 he was promoted to EDP/Corporal and on the 8th of January 1917 was promoted to Acting Lance-Sergeant.
On the 14th of May 1918 he reverted to the rank of Private and deployed across from England to France, marching in to the Training Depot at Havre. On the 19 of May 1918 he marched out to the front and on the 21st he was taken-on-strength of the 17th Company Australian Army Service Corps.
On the 29th of May 1918 he reported sick and was admitted to the 7th Field Ambulance suffering from Myalgia. He was transferred to the 16th General Hospital on the 9th of June and then invalided to England on the 20th of June. He was admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital the following day. On the 17th of July he was granted a furlough with orders to then report to No.1 Command-Depot at Sutton Veny on the 31st.
On the 17th of August 1918 he was admitted to hospital with Influenza. On the 22nd of August he marched back into the No.1 Command-Depot. On the 31st of October 1918 he was granted 75 days Leave with Pay in England with orders to then report to Admin Headquarters on the 15th of January 1919.
On the 1st of April 1919 he was appointed to the Permanent Cadre of the A.S.C. Training-Depot and promoted to the rank of Temporary-Sergeant. On the 1st of July he was promoted to ER/Sergeant.
On the 15th of October 1919 he took his discharged from the AIF, in London.
When his Medals were forwarded to him in England in 1922, they were returned with the message: “GONE TO AUSTRALIA, ADDRESS UNKNOWN”.
In Australia he became famous as the Author of numerous novels usually set in Australia’s Outback, with the main character being a part aboriginal Police-Detective, called “BONY”. These books were turned into a television-series in the 1970’s.
He died in Bowral, NSW on the 12th of February 1964, aged 73 years old.
Submitted 17 September 2018 by Evan Evans
Biography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of James Oliver Upfield and Annie Upfield nee Barmore of Gosport, Hampshire, England.
Previously served with the Hampshire Yeomanry for three years.
Husband of Anne Upfield nee Douglass of North Street, Gosport, Hampshire, England. Arthur and Anne married on 3 November 1915 at the British Consulate, Alexandria. Donald Andreas Cameron, British Consulate General officiated.
22 August 1914 - enlisted at Brisbane with the 1st Light Horse Brigade Train and with the rank of Private.
13 November 1916 - promoted to Corporal
14 May 1918 - promoted to Driver
21 May 1918 - transferred to the 5 Divisional Train.
1 July 1919 - promoted to Sergeant
15 November 1919 - discharged in London, England. Unit demobilised
Medals: 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
In 1934 he was writing articles for the Melbourne Herald under the heading of One Digger's War. At the time he was descibed as awell known novelist using the name of Arthur W. Upfield
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