Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

William Joseph Arnel [1853-1928] wed Mary Ann Josephine Smith [1857-1929], living first at Warrnambool where, the first of nine children, Mary Catherine [1877] arrived, as well as Willliam [1878] .
Moving to St Arnaud, the family welcomed the arrival of Emily Josephine [1880] . Removing to Goornong, the family was thrice blessed with Frederick John [1882-1958] , together with Thomas Smith [1884-1974] , as well as Joseph Francis [1885-1915] .
Transferring, in early 1888, from Goornong to Eddington-on-Loddon, William Arnel saw the arrival, as well as the early departure, of toddler Ephraim Letchfield [1890-1892] . Finally, the arrival of eighth and ninth children, sons, Arthur Bertram [1893-1916], together with Charles Stewart [1896-1963] completed his family.
Remaining at Eddington-on-Loddon, about 9 years, Mounted Constable William Arnel 3012, in May 1897, was promoted to in charge of the police station at Elmore.
About 20 persons assembled at the Elmore Athenaeum Hall on a March 1898 Tuesday evening to send off Constable Arnel, transferring to Ballarat after a residence of about 10 months, due to promotion to the rank of senior constable.
Mr J. Heeps. J.P., presiding, said William Arnel conducted himself in a quiet, unassuming, and gentlemanly manner; discharged his duties without fear or favour; departing with the best wishes of a numerous circle of friends.
Mr J. Revell spoke feelingly of the guest, with whom his acquaintance extended over 18 years; always finding him a straightforward, upright, honest comrade.
Mr H. Dainty initially met Constable Arnel at St. Arnaud about 20 years ago, then at Goornong, and finally at Elmore. He was a true friend, a thoroughly upright and honest man.
Perhaps life did not proceed as planned; declaring William Joseph Arnel, of Drummond Street, Ballarat, senior constable of police, insolvent in the Spring of 1900, the cause being recorded as “continued sickness of wife and family and pressure of creditors”; With debts totalling £122 10s 6d; assets £4; leaving £118 10s 6d deficiency.
Eventually overcoming the situation, reportedly in charge of Clunes police station for in excess of seven years, Senior Constable Wiliam Joseph Arnel, in December 1909, transferred to Port Fairy.
Accompanying his parents to Port Fairy, sixth son, 12 years of age, Arthur Bertram, ‘Bert’, quickly amassed a very large circle of friends amongst the many young people of Port Fairy. Growing into a young man Bert became a foundation member of the Catholic Y.M.S., being an active and energetic secretary as well as establishing a hairdressing business prior to moving to Penshurst.
Enlisting at Hamilton, on 4 March 1915, 188cm [6’2¾”], 78.9kg [174lbs], 22 years 11 months of age Bert Arnel cited a two year apprenticeship whilst at Clunes, however his current employment involved labouring.
Assigned to 6th Infantry Brigade 24th Battalion 1st Reinforcement, Bert Arnel received minimum training, between 4 March 1915 – 8 May 1915, prior to embarkation from Melbourne aboard HMAT A14 Euripides on 10 May 1915.
On the evening of 15 June 1915, 29 years of age, Killarney blacksmith, Joseph Francis Arnel, the beloved fourth son of William Joseph and Mary Arnel, passed away following five weeks Port Fairy hospitalisation treatment for typhoid fever.
Retiring, in December 1915, having achieved the statutory age of 65 years, Senior Constable William Joseph Arnel, officer in charge of the local police for the past 6 years, declared his intention to remain a Port Fairy, Victoria resident in the short term. & Setting about producing a valuable vegetable garden, mixed farm business in James Street, the couple virtually became self-sufficient.
Completing training in Egypt during July and August, ‘Bert’ Arnel, together with 24th Battalion comrades, transferred to Gallipoli in early September as part of the 2nd Division reinforcements for the April landed troops. Arriving on the peninsula on 4 September 1915, Bert Arnel achieved, on 7 September 1915, ‘in the field’ promotion, to Corporal. Serving on the Lone Pine sector, taking responsibility for the front line on 12 September the 24th Battalion witnessed the 11 October 1915 promotion of Corporal Bert Arnel to Lance Sergeant.
Sergeant Arthur Bertram ‘Bert’ Arnel
Military Medal citation –
‘The work of this NCO has been consistently good and plucky. For many weeks at Lone Pine, Gallipoli, he acted as instructor and builder of broken parapets, carrying out nightly most dangerous work, under close machine gun and rifle fire. As a sniper his work is excellent.’ – 18 June 1916
Positioned closely to the Turkish trenches in tenuous, fiercely contested positions, the troops, being rotated with the 23rd and 24th Battalions, held the line for the remainder of the campaign until the December 1915 Gallipoli evacuation.
Reorganised, as well as expanded, in March 1916, the AIF's infantry divisions began transferring to France and Belgium to serve in the trenches of the Western Front. Their first major action in France came at Pozières and Mouquet Farm from 23 July 1916 until 7 August 1916.
Pozières, a small village in the Somme valley in France, was the scene of bitter and costly fighting for the 1st, 2nd and 4th Australian Divisions in mid 1916.
Initially captured on 23 July 1916, at Pozières sustained almost continuous artillery fire as well as repeated German counter-attacks resulting in, by 27 July, 5,285 casualties.
Relieving the 1st Division, the 2nd Division mounted two further attacks - the first, on 29 July, was a costly failure; the second, on 2 August, resulted in the seizure of further German positions beyond the village. Again, the Australians suffered heavily from retaliatory bombardment, upon its 6 August relief, having suffered 6,848 casualties.
The 4th Division was next into the line at Pozières. It too endured a massive artillery bombardment, and defeated a German counter-attack on 7 August; this was the last attempt by the Germans to retake Pozières, as well as the heroic exploits of Lieutenant Albert Jacka resulting in his being awarded the Victoria Cross.
Securing Pozières, plans were evolved to complete the second phase to push northwards to Mouquet Farm to outflank the German stronghold at Thiepval.
Early 22 August 1916 morning mist enabled AIF 1st Division soldiers to work on a line joining the new position until it began to lift as short range fire began to wound and kill them. The 3rd Brigade lost 840 men in front of Mouquet Farm; overall the 1st Division lost 2,650 men in miniscule progress handing over the fruitless task to the AIF 2nd Division that included Lance Sergeant Bert Arnel.
Receiving 23 August 1916 orders to attack Mouquet Farm, night patrols were employed hoping to ascertain the enemy strength; whether Lance Sergeant Arthur Betram ‘Bert’ Arnel met his demise during one of these patrols remains lost.
“France 11/9/1916 - Before this reaches you, you will have heard of the death of your son who was killed in action during the recent actions fought by this battalion at Pozières.
“Will you accept the sincere sympathy of the officers and all his old comrades. Bert was a universal favourite with all, and being with us for so long, it was so much harder to lose him, as, believe me, there is still room for a little sentiment.
“The sense of comradeship becomes very real, after passing through 16 months of war, and, in your son, I feel I have lost a personal friend. I have had him with e on many a little job, and cannot speak too highly of him as a soldier and a gentleman, and I will always remember his gallant conduct on many trying occasions.
“Another of those gallant heroes who pass out unnoticed, except by a few, and leave behind those friends at home to mourn their loss. After all it is the folks at home who suffer most.
“I understood from things your son said that he was engaged to be married. Will you extend to his fiancée my heartfelt sympathy?”
“Yours faithfully, George A McIlroy, Captain. O.C. A Company
Without a known grave, Lance Sergeant Arthur Bertram ‘Bert’ Arnel is commemorated at the Australian National Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, France, as well as upon the Memorial Cenotaph at Penshurst, Victoria.

Arthur Bertram ‘Bert’ Arnel

Killed in action, in France on 23rd August, 1916, Sergeant Arthur Bertram Arnel [Bert]. Aged 23 years. Sixth and second youngest son of Mr Mrs W. J. Arnel, James Street, Port Fairy; brother of Mrs J. Rooney, Mrs Hill, Will, Fred, Tom and Charlie.

"His duty nobly done."

Lance Sergeant Arthur Bertram ‘Bert’ Arnel† MM

Military Medal citation –
‘The work of this NCO has been consistently good and plucky. For many weeks at Lone Pine, Gallipoli, he acted as instructor and builder of broken parapets, carrying out nightly most dangerous work, under close machine gun and rifle fire. As a sniper his work is excellent.’ – 18 June 1916