Arthur Thomas Orton MM

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	London, England
Death	12 Dec 1939
Place of Death	Mt Hawthorn, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	19 years, 11 months
Description	5'7¼" (1.71m) tall; weight 149 lbs (67.6 kg); sallow complexion, blue eyes, brown hair
Occupation	dairy farmer
Religion	Church of England
Address	'Ferry Downs', Beenup, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother Mrs Florence Orton.
Military Information
Reg Number	1774
Date of Enlistment	18 Jan 1915
Rank	Corporal
Unit/Formation	12th Battalion, 4th Reinforcement but transferred to 3rd Machine Gun Coy (later redesignated 1st MG Battalion)
Date of Embarkation	19 Apr 1915 - unknown at
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A8 Argyllshire
Date of Return	21 Jun 1818 - 3 Aug 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Königin Luise
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Armadale (Beenup panel)
Medals	Military Medal 1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

After entering Blackboy Hill camp, Arthur is allocated to the 4th reinforcement draft for the 12th Battalion, and travelled with them to Egypt before being taken on strength by the battalion proper on 26 May 1915 on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

Influenza stuck, and on 20 Aug 1915 he was seen by No1 Field Ambulance and sent on to No2 Casualty Clearing Station before being evacuated to Mudros. He was sent via HMT Caledonia to England, where he was admitted to No1 London General Hospital in Camberwell on 1 Sep 1915. It wasn't until 25 Mar 1916 that he was returned to Alexandria in Egypt on HMT Caledonia.

He joined the 3rd Training Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir on 17 Apr 1916 and a week later was made acting Corporal.

On 20 May 1916 he arrived in France, and spent some time in the 1st Division Base Depot in Étaples. He was transferred from the 12th Battalion to the 3rd Brigade Machine Gun Company, joining them on 29 Oct 1916. On 14 Oct 1917 he was sent for a month to the Army Rest Camp, and while there he received word that he had been awarded the Military Medal.

He had several short stints in hospital with Eczema, but on 26 Mar 1918 he received severe accidental burns to his face, neck and hands that required hospitalisation. Travelled to England on the HS Ville de Liege and after he recovered he spent a further six months at No 3 Command Depot in Hurdcott before returning to his unit in France on 1 Dec 1918.

On 17 Jan 1919 he moved back to England, to begin his journey home, but waited for a ship carrying men and their wives, the SS Konigin Louise. Discharged in 5th Military District 2 Oct 1919.

1917 Feb-Mar edition. "... He was wounded in Gallipoli, and spent six months in hospitals in Malta and England. Has since been transferred to a machine gun section and is now in France."

Award Comment

Military Medal

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. On 4/10/1917 at BROODSEINDE RIDGE, L/Cpl ORTON, having been buried by a shell which killed one and wounded two of his gun crew refused to leave his gun and carried on. On the following day he was again buried under precisely the same circumstances and badly shaken, but despite his officer's advice to the contrary, he persisted in remaining with his gun until relieved on 10/10/17" and

Post War

Married in England on 29 Apr 1918 to Edith Ellen Gabriel who was 26 years old, living in Cambridge road, Hammersmith, London. Edith died 4 May 1969 aged 78 in Maylands.

Electoral Roll entries - On arrival back in WA, Arthur joined the Police force, and in 1922 - 1925 they are at 5 Fairbairn street, Fremantle; 1928 - 1937 Police station Quairading; Prior to Arthur's death, he and Edith move to 14 The Boulevarde, Leederville where Edith remained until after 1954, given that in 1958 she was at 72 Onslow road, Shenton Park; in 1963 at 42 Waroonga road, Claremont; 1968- 1969 at 3 Kirkham Hill terrace, Maylands. Children Ray and Joan E (1927 - )

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial