S96369
SANDERCOCK, Arthur Jubilee
| Service Number: | 4508 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Lance Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Balhanna, South Australia, 5 May 1887 |
| Home Town: | Balhannah, Adelaide Hills, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Balhannah School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Railway porter/shoeing & gen. smith |
| Died: | 2 December 1966, aged 79 years, cause of death not yet discovered, place of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia Catholic D, Path DJ, Grave 416 |
| Memorials: | Balhannah Old Scholars Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Mar 1916: | Involvement Private, 4508, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Shropshire embarkation_ship_number: A9 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Mar 1916: | Embarked Private, 4508, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Shropshire, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Lance Sergeant, 4508 | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 4508, 27th Infantry Battalion |
Help us honour Arthur Jubilee Sandercock's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by tony griffin
SHOEING SMITH ARTHUR JUBILEE SANDERCOCK
4508
Arthur was born at Balhannah on 5 May 1987. He was the son of George and Margaret Sandercock. At the time of his enlistment, he was employed as a railway porter, shoeing and general smith.
Prior to 1911, Arthur had fathered a child and was issued a maintenance order by the State Children’s Department. Failure to comply with this order would plague Arthur for many years and result in several court appearances and goal sentences.
Arthur Sandercock, who failed to appear, was alleged to owe £5 7/6 under a maintenance order. The court ordered the defendant three months imprisonment, the warrant to stand over for a fortnight. Express and Telegraph, Thursday 15 October 1915
Arthur married Mary Agatha Connell at St. Thomas’s Church in Naracoorte on 7 April 1915. At the age of 28 he enlisted in Adelaide on 10 December 1915 and served in Depot Battalions until 1 March when he was posted to 11 Reinforcements 27 Battalion. Mary gave birth to their only child, Lawrence Connell Sandercock, on 7 February 1916.
Arthur Sandercock, a soldier, formerly in the employ of the Railway Department as a porter in charge of the Geranium Railway Station, appeared at the Adelaide Police Court on Monday, to answer a charge of having embezzled £5 belonging to the Railways Commissioner. Accused, who pleaded guilty, stated that he had not embezzled the money for drink or gambling. He had received a summons from the State Children’s Department in respect of a maintenance order. He tried to keep his name out of Court, and took the money to pay what he owed. It was his first mistake. He made the confession quite voluntarily. He was one of eight sons, and was the only one who had made a mistake. Four of his brothers were at the front. The S.M. said the Bench would give accused am opportunity to continue in camp, and would not send him to gaol. He would have to pay a fine of £5. Chronicle, 15 January 1916
The HMAT Shropshire embarked from Outer Harbour on 23 March with 11 Reinforcements/27 Battalion on board. After landing in England Arthur was struck down with Enteric Fever and admitted to the Enteric Depot at Warlington. It would be five months before he was discharged for furlough and repatriation. On 1 January he marched into 7 Training Battalion at Rollestone but again was admitted to hospital, this time to Fargo Military Hospital with a case of scabies. Discharged to 6 Training Battalion in April, Arthur eventually embarked overseas for France on 27 December 1917. At this time Mary wrote to the Red Cross seeking a date for his return. It would be another eighteen months before she would see her husband again.
On New Years Day 1918 Arthur eventually marched into 27 Battalion. 27 Battalion, at this time, was bivouacked at La Romarin Camp in Belgium and preparing to relieve the 25th Battalion in the forward area. At the end of January marched back to the rest area. Within 2 months Arthur was again admitted sick to hospital and at the end of March was classified B2, medically fit but not fit for service at the front. He was transferred, via Australian Employment Coy, to the Australian Veterinary Hospital at Calais in France. Here his rank changed to shoeing smith.
The Australian Veterinary Hospital was responsible for the treatment of sick and injured horses and mules. Each animal, on being admitted, went through the following routine: (1) a good sound head collar was fitted; (2) a tin tag bearing the hospital number was attached; (3) a description (class, colour, sex and age) was recorded; (4) any disease was diagnosed and the animal was allotted to a section for treatment; (5) the animal was tested for mallein; and finally the animal was put through a dip. During the time Arthur was serving at the veterinary hospital the number of animals admitted was staggering. April 1936, May 2365, July 1151, August 1294 and in September an incredible 9843 horses and 2174 mules.
On 28 November 1918 Arthur was granted 2 weeks leave to England before returning to Calais.The war had been over for six months before, on 19 April 1919, Arthur embarked from Devonport aboard HT Sardinia for his return home. He disembarked in Adelaide on 3 June 1919 and was discharged on 10 August 1919.
Arthur died on 2 December 1966 and is buried in Centennial Park, Catholic D, Path DJ, Grave 416. Mary, who passed away in 1981, is buried with him.
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