Military History

Arthur died of wounds, incurred on 17th October 1918 near Le Chatelet, at the 3rd Australian General Hospital at Le Treport on 29th October 1918. Below is a summary of the 2nd Battalion war diary entry for the day that Arthur was wounded.

On 17th October 1918 the 2nd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers formed part of 149th Brigade, 50th (Northumbrian) Division, during the final advance in Picardy and part of the Battle of the Selle. At 6.30am on the morning of 17th the 2nd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers crossed the river Selle, one company by a bridge that had been constructed for the purpose, and three companies by fords. They were almost immediately met by heavy machine gun fire, which caused a number of casualties. Having successfully crossed the river, the 2nd Dublins, along with other battalions of the 149th Brigade, launched an attack on the German front line, with three battalions, the 2nd Dublins in the centre, with the Scottish Horse on their left and the 3rd Royal Fusiliers on their right. The attack was held up by stiff German resistance, and confusion reigned after two heavy German counter-attacks. By this stage the 2nd Dublins, along with the 1st Yorkshire Light Infantry and the 2nd Munsters, held a line between an orchard and some brickworks. The whole line was then firmly established, and by 8pm the brickworks had been captured, although heavy fighting continued throughout the night.

Courtesy of Soham Remembers