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Arthur William Bryant - Information

Arthur William Bryant was born in Narellan c1869. Arthur’s parents James and Harriet were English migrants who married in Narellan in 1846. He grew up in the area with his many siblings and when he was older, was living in Holbrook with his wife Sarah Matilda. Here, Arthur began working as a blacksmith. He and Sarah were soon blessed with children Arthur William, Elsie Marjorie and William. Arthur then decided to enlist in the AIF in Cootamundra on the 28th of June 1916, claiming he was 44 years old. Arthur trained at Cootamundra Camp, and was posted to C Company, 3rd Battalion. He was then stationed as a Private to B Company, 21st Reinforcements, 2nd Battalion in early July. He then left Sydney onboard the HMAT Ceramic on the 7th of October 1916.

The Ceramic sailed into Plymouth Harbour in late November, and he was marched into the 1st Training Battalion in Larkhill. After further training, he was shipped to France in March 1917, joining the 2nd Battalion. At the time, the Germans had withdrawn to a series of fortifications known as the Hindenburg Line. When the Battalion advanced towards these defences at Bullecourt, Arthur was wounded in action. On the 15th of April, he received a gun shot wound to his left wrist. He was rushed to a Casualty Clearing Station by the 3rd Field Ambulance. He was then admitted to hospital in Rouen, and subsequently evacuated to England, to the 3rd Southern General Hospital in Oxford. His wound healed; however, Arthur was now suffering from myalgia. As a result, he was sent back to Australia for home service on the 25th of August 1917. He was discharged on the 24th of November 1917. He returned to his family in Holbrook, where he passed away in 1945.