S25421
AHRNS, Arthur Bernhard
| Service Numbers: | 2145, S2934 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 20 September 1915, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 25/33 Garrison Battalion (SA) |
| Born: | Manoora, South Australia, Australia, 27 April 1894 |
| Home Town: | Balaklava, Wakefield, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Wheelwright |
| Died: | Natural causes, Balaklava, South Australia, 18 October 1976, aged 82 years |
| Cemetery: |
Balaklava Public Cemetery, S.A. |
| Memorials: | Peterborough Uniting Church Porch Memorial Leadlight Window 1, Peterborough War Memorial, Robertstown Peace Hall Roll of Honor WW1 |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 16 Mar 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2145, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Anchises, Adelaide | |
| 16 Mar 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2145, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Gunner, 2145 |
World War 2 Service
| 22 Jul 1941: | Involvement Sapper, S2934, 25/33 Garrison Battalion (SA) | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Jul 1941: | Enlisted Wayville, SA | |
| 22 Jul 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, S2934 | |
| 17 Mar 1944: | Discharged | |
| 17 Mar 1944: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Sapper, S2934, 25/33 Garrison Battalion (SA) |
from family history information
Arthur served in WW1, his mother is listed as his nearest to kin C/O Bright Post Office, SA. First World War Embarkation Roll - Arthur Bernhard Ahrns, Service number:2145 Rank:Private Roll title: 3 LHR [Light Horse Regiment] - 15 to 20 Reinforcements (March 1915 - June 1916) Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918
Date of embarkation:«/b» 16 March 1916 Place of embarkation: Adelaide Ship embarked on: HMAT Anchises Ship number: A68
Submitted 27 April 2015 by Marcelle Edwards
Biography contributed by tony griffin
Born in Manoora on 27 April 1894, Arthur was the son of Wilhelm Friedrick and Maria Dorothea Louise (nee Schmaal) Ahrns. Wilhelm and Maria were married at Waterloo in 1879 and took up farming at Bright, about 20 kilometres north of Robertstown. Retiring after 39 years they moved to Yongala where Arthur had joined his brothers as a wheelwright in the blacksmithing business Ahrns Bros
Arthur enlisted in Adelaide on 20 September 1915 and was appointed to E Company 2nd Depot Battalion. On 1 November he was posted to Base Light Horse and on 16 January 1916 to 15th Reinforcements 3rd Light Horse Regiment. He embarked from Adelaide aboard HMAT A68 Anchises on 16 March 1916. After landing in Egypt Arthur was transferred to Artillery Details at Tel-el-Kebir and a short time later, on 28 April, embarked from Alexandria aboard HMT Corsican. He disembarked at Plymouth, England on 11 June 1916. At the end of the month he was admitted to Bulford General Hospital suffering from influenza.
After training at the Australian Artillery Training Depot Arthur was transferred to 2nd Field Artillery Brigade on 26 October. Arthur proceeded overseas to France on 31 March 1917 to serve with the 102nd Howitzer Battery.
It was at this time that Ahrns Bros. lease expired on their premises at Yongala and all the stock in trade was sold by auction.
Arthur’s records indicate that he spent time in hospital in January of 1918 and that he rejoined his unit in Belgium. There is no mention of his ailment.
Arthur was wounded in action on 22nd March 1918 when his unit was overcome by a German Gas attack. Taken from the field by 1st Australian Field Ambulance to 11 Casualty Clearing Station, Arthur was soon admitted to 35th General Hospital in Calais. Five days later Arthur was invalided to England aboard the hospital ship HS Ville de Liege and admitted to Ontario Military Hospital in Orpington, Kent.
On 8 April he was transferred to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital but suffering from haemorrhoids was soon readmitted to Fovant Military Hospital for several weeks. By this time he may have received the sad news that his elder brother Frederick Carl Ahrns had passed away at Peterborough.
Arthur did not return to the front and on 25 January 1919 embarked from England aboard SS Ceramic. He disembarked on 14 March and was discharged from the military on 18 May 1919.
Shortly after returning home Arthur and his brother, Friedrich Gustav Ahrns, purchased Luedecke’s wheelwright and blacksmith business in Peterborough.
In 1925 Arthur married Martha Amalie Graefe. The brothers eventually sold the Peterborough business and moved to Balaklava to commence an undertakers business.
Arthur died on 18 October 1976 at the age of 82 years. He is buried in the Balaklava Public Cemetery.
Biography
Son of Marie Dorothea Louise and William F AHRNS
Click images to start slideshow.