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Arthur Charles Mitcherson - Information

Arthur’s father, George, sadly lost his first wife and son, Henry, in the same year in 1892. George then remarried Edith De La Garde in 1894 at Deniliquin. Arthur, George and Edith’s first child, was born in Balmain in 1893. For a time, the Mitcherson’s lived in Victoria, before moving to the Campbelltown area shortly after the start of the new century. When the war began, Arthur had left his family and relocated to Richmond Rivers. There, he began driving a cream carrier, before marrying his sweetheart Ellen Annie Barnes in Lismore in 1916. He then enlisted in the AIF in Lismore on the 13th of May 1916, aged 22. During training, he was posted to the 16th Reinforcements, 25th Battalion in August as a Private. Arthur departed Brisbane on the 21st of October 1916 onboard the HMAT Boonah.

Arthur arrived in Plymouth on the 10th of January 1917 and was marched out to the 7th Training Battalion in Rollestone. After further training, Arthur was sent to France and was taken on strength to the 25th Battalion. He was not in the lines long, when he reported to hospital sick in May, suffering from trench fever. He recovered after some rest out of the trenches, and rejoined his Battalion on the 1st of September during the Third Battle of Ypres. Here, he was wounded, receiving a nasty bullet wound to his back on the 7th of October. He was evacuated to England and admitted to hospital in Lincoln. By late November, he was convalescing at Sutton Veny. In the new year, the 25th were hit hard when they were thrust into action following the German Spring Offensive. On the 21st of March, using specially trained storm troops, the Germans broke through the Allied lines. The 25th Battalion helped to halt the advance at Morlancourt and Hamel. From May, the Allies were slowly regaining their lost ground, pushing back with their own offensive with the Battle of Amiens on the 8th of August. In September, the 25th was disbanded to reinforce other units. Arthur survived the war and was promoted to Temporary Sergeant on the 1st of June 1919 at the AIF Depot. On the 30th of September, he was appointed Extra Regimental Sergeant. He was then sent back home to Australia on the 22nd of November 1919.

When he returned, he received his discharge papers in February 1920. He then reunited with his wife Ellen. However, their relationship would not last, and their marriage shortly broke up. Arthur returned to Campbelltown, to his parents and siblings. In 1937, he had acquired some land at the Soldier’s Settlement on Waminda Avenue. He then resided in Leumeah, while he worked as a tram conductor. In 1944, he married Gwendoline Therese Forman in Campbelltown. Arthur passed away on the 24th of July 1980.