Arthur William Symonds

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Clare, South Australia
Death	9 Oct 1917
Place of Death	Broodseinde Ridge, Belgium
Age at Enlistment	39 years, 2 months
Description	5'8 ½" (1.74m) tall; weight 144 lbs (65.3 kg); fair complexion, blue eyes, fair hair.
Occupation	sleeper hewer
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	Bedfordale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Sister Mrs Katherine Parks
Military Information
Reg Number	3473
Date of Enlistment	6 Aug 1915
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, 11th Reinforcement D Coy / 3rd Brigade, 1st Division
Date of Embarkation	2 Nov 1915 - 26 Nov 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A38 Ulysses
Fate	Died of Wounds received 9 Oct 1917 at Broodseinde Ridge.
Monument	Armadale War Memorial (Bedfordale panel) Bedfordale Roll of Honour Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour Menin Gate Memorial Australian War Memorial
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

1916 Electoral Roll gives Arthur's address as Bedfordale, occupation sleeper hewer.

War Service

Entered Blackboy Camp on 6 Aug 1915 and after preliminary training was allocated to the 11th reinforcement draft for the 11th Battalion.

On arrival in Egypt he undertook further training before being taken on strength by the 11th Battalion where he was allocated to D Company on 2 Mar 1916 at Bir el Habieta.

Sailed to Marseilles from Alexandria on the HMT Corsican, arriving there on 5 Apr 1916.

Between his arrival in France and his death over a year later, Arthur's records are silent. The Initial entry on his records for 9 Oct 1917 was that Arthur was wounded and, later wounded and missing, and finally that he had Died of his Wounds.

In Arthur's Red Cross file held by the Australian War Memorial. 5163 Cpl E.J. Mullins of his platoon (3 Platoon A Coy) said

"...that Symonds was wounded on the night of 8th Oct. Near Anzac Ridge at Westhoek. We had just been relieved from the line and stayed the night at a pill box. Symonds was wounded in the knee and taken away by stretcher bearers...."

Another report, this one by 4652 Pte F. W. Baker says

"I knew him well...On the 9th October we were at Passchendaele holding the line. We made an attack, had been relieved, and gone out of the line when Symonds was hit by a stray shell. He was taken to the Dressing Station and died there."

"...Went to Egypt , and then with the 51st to France, in July, 1916. He and Frank Dowell were great friends."

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  Menin Gate Memorial Ypres 2015 photo
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  11th Battalion panel

Notes

Memorialised at YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL. Son of James and Catherine Symonds. Native of Clare, South Australia.

Arthur's nephew was Captain E.J. Parks of the 16th Battalion.

A Miss E Trotter write to Military Authorities in December 1916, asking after Arthur as she has not heard from him in 6 months and that she hasn't seen his name on any Casualty List. At this time Arthur was alive and with the 11th Battalion. His sister, and NOK Katherine Parks also wrote to them in Feb 1917 similarly asking after him, so Arthur was no correspondent. Another of his sisters also enquired after him on 23 Apr 1917. Katherine writes again on 28 May 1917 advising the authorities that through Capt Parks she had been advised that the Adjutant of the 11th Battalion had advised "Private Symonds was evacuated after the first Pozieres stint. No further record of him." The officer had made enquiries in England to no avail.

His sister, Maggie again wrote on 14 Jul 1917, seeking information as there has still been no contact, and Katherine again wrote on 20 Nov 1917 repeating the information that she had, and noting that all their letters are returned, stamped "Not with his unit". Miss Trotter wrote again on 19 Nov 1917.

The Red Cross became involved and advised that letters were now being returned marked "In hospital"; "Unable to trace"; and "Killed 28/8/16". As late as March 1918, the family were being told there was no official news.

In Mar 1918 the family was told that Arthur was said to be Wounded and Missing. On 24 Jun 1918 his NOK is finally aware that he has been declared to have died from his wounds. [Court of Enquiry 29 May 1918].

External Links

• AIF Project
• RSL Virtual War Memorial