BALL, Arthur Hugh
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Captain |
| Last Unit: | Unspecified British Units |
| Born: | Angaston, South Australia, 26 November 1886 |
| Home Town: | Sydney, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | St Peter's College & School of Mines |
| Occupation: | Engineering Student (USA) |
| Died: | Died of Wounds, Belgium, 29 October 1917, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
Nine Elms British Cemetery VI A 12 |
| Memorials: | Angaston Congregational Church WW1 Roll of Honour, Angaston District WW1 Roll of Honour, Hackney St Peter's College Fallen Honour Board, Unley Arch of Remembrance, Unley Town Hall WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| Date unknown: | Involvement Captain, Officer, Unspecified British Units, Third Ypres |
|---|
Obituary
The Advertiser Monday 05 November 1917 page 9
Captain ARTHUR HUGH (Pete) BALL, second son of Mrs. R. H. Ball, of Park avenue, Hyde Park, has died of wounds in France. He was born at Angaston, where his father was manager of the National Bank for over 30 years. Captain Ball went to America a few months before war broke out and studied as an engineer under Lieutenant-Colonel Johnston. He left America in August, 1915, to enlist in England, and at the time of his death was acting major of artillery. His promotion in the British army was rapid. He had all the qualities of a soldier and a leader, and had he lived would, no doubt, have had a distinguished career. He left a widow, who resides in London.
Submitted 26 January 2016 by Faithe Jones
Biography
Born in Angaston, South Australia.
Son of Robert Henry BALL and Caroline Sarah nee HORSFALL
He was educated at St Peter's College and then the school of mines before moving to America. Studying in America as an engineer when World War One broke out, in August 1915 Arthur Hugh (Pete) Ball travelled to England via his own private passage where he enlisted in the British Army.
He quickly rose through the ranks to become a Captain and commanded the 186th Siege Battery, of the British Royal Garrison Artillery.
He died of wounds he sustained on 29 October 1917 in the field and was buried in Nine Elms British Cemetery, Belgium. At the time of his death he held the rank of Temporary Major commanding the Siege Battery.
He left behind his wife, living in London, and his mother, Caroline Sarah Ball (nee Horsfall,) living in Hyde Park, South Australia. His father, decreased.
Submitted by Nathan Rohrlach, May 2015.
From the book Fallen Saints
Arthur Hugh Ball was born at Angaston, South Australia where for over thirty years his father was the manager of the Angaston branch of the National Bank. When war broke out Arthur was in the United States studying engineering but when America declared her neutrality, he left for London and in August 1915 enlisted in the British Army with the Artist’s Rifles; he was subsequently commissioned and posted to the Royal Artillery as a Second Lieutenant.
According to an article published in the Adelaide Chronicle on 22 June 1918, Arthur had frequently carried out reconnaissance patrols under fire and gathered valuable information which greatly assisted operations.
1/28th and 2/28th (County of London) Battalions (Artists Rifles) were formed in August 1914. 1/28th was attached to the 2nd London Division until it moved to France on 28 October 1914.
In November 1915 by decree of Army Order 429 of 1915, the 1/28th was recognised as an Officers Training Corps and absorbed the 2/28th. On 28 June 1917, 1/28th left G.H.Q. and joined 190th Brigade, 63rd Division. [i]
During the war 10,256 officers were commissioned after training with the Artist’s Rifles. They went to Foot Guards, every Infantry Regiment most of the other arms. The Royal Artillery alone had 953 officers and the London Regiment 783 officers from the Artist’s Rifles. [ii]
In December 1917, Second Lieutenant (Acting Captain) Arthur Hugh Ball R.G.A. was awarded the Military Cross.[iii]
Captain Ball MC, 186th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery died of wounds on 29 October 1917; he was 30 years of age.
Ironically, Arthur Ball and another Old Blue, Brian Bayly had much more in common than the fact they were born in South Australia and had attended St Peter's College together. Both served as officers in the British Army, although in different corps, both were awarded the Military Cross for similar acts of gallantry. Both Captains Ball and Bayly were killed in action with only one day separating each tragic event and today they lay side by side in Nine Elms British Cemetery, Poperinghe.
[i] James, EA ,Historical Records of British Infantry Regiments In the Great War 1914-1918, Rank Xerox Copy Bureau, Birmingham Revised Edition, 1976, p. 196 & 199
[ii] ibid., p. 199
[iii] London Gazette, Arthur Hugh Ball - Issue 30450 published 28 December 1917, p. 30 of 78
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