Arthur Frederick William Eivers

Arthur Frederick William Eivers

Personal Information
Date of Birth	18 Apr 1899
Place of Birth	Perth, Western Australia
Death	9 Sep 1974, aged 75
Place of Death	Cottesloe, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	18 years, 1 month
Description	5'8¾" (1.75m) tall ; 127lbs 57.606 kg ; fresh complexion ; grey eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Railway clerk
Religion	Church of England
Address	Albany road, Gosnells, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Mother , Mrs Alice Eivewrs
Military Information
Reg Number	[ 19768]
Date of Enlistment	7 May 1917
Rank	Sapper
Unit/Formation	4th Division Signal Company, Reinforcement 16 transferred to 3rd Field Artillery Brigade
Date of Embarkation	8 Aug 1917 ‒ 2 Oct 1917
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A68 Anchises
Date of Return	28 Feb 1919 ‒ 10 Apr 1919
Ship Returned On	HMAT A68 Anchises
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll Gosnells Ward Honour Roll
Medals	British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

One of five children to Kelmscott farmer James Eivers and Alice Talbot. Arthur began work with the WA Railways on 6 Jul 1914 as a cadet on £50 p.a., and on 1 Jul 1915 was made permanent staff. In May 1917 on a pay rate of £100 p.a. Arthur was granted leaved to enlist in the AIF.

War Service

Entered camp on 21 May 1917, and on 17 Jul 1917 he was sent to the AIF Signal School in New South Wales with the rank of Sapper. He therefore embarked from Sydney for England, arriving in Liverpool on 2 Oct 1917 aboard HMAT A68 Anchises. On arrival he was sent to Nos 1 & 3 Camps, Parkhouse for further training, and on 5 Nov 1917 joined the Engineers Training Depot - Signals Section in Shefford. It was not until 24 Apr 1918 that he embarked in Southampton for France.

Arthur spent the next month at the Australian General Based Depot before being allocated to the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade on 27 May 1918. On 12 Sep 1918 he was ill, presenting to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station who transferred him via Ambulance Train No. 19 to the 2nd General Hospital in Le Havre, France on 16 Sep 1918. Evacuated to England on 27 Sep 1918 where Arthur was admitted to the 2/1st Southern General Hospital, Dudley road, Birmingham the next day. Arthur was said to be suffering from pyrexia of uncertain origin.

Arthur was discharged from hospital and granted 2 days furlough on 7 Oct 1918. Although he reported to the Overseas Training Brigade, Arthur did not return to France before he returned to Australia, departing England on 28 Feb 1919. On 4 May 1919 Arthur was discharged by the 5th Military District.

Post War

On 9 May 1919 Arthur undertook a medical exam prior to being reinstated with WAGR. His brush with Trench fever was noted and his records were annotated with 'fit for day work only'. In 1924 he was posted to Corrigin, and in July 1925 to Cranbrook before settling in Northam from June 1926 until September 1931. In May 1935 he was based at Midland Junction. Spent 1940-41 at Katanning, and 1942 as Station master at Pemberton before transferring to Armadale as Station Master until the end of 1947. In Jan 1948 Arthur was a Traffic Inspector at Bunbury, taking long service leave in 1950. Posted back to Perth he was a Traffic Inspector at the Perth station until Jul 1955. He remained in the metro area until his retirement on 17 Dec 1963. Arthur's salary at the time of retirement being £1,675 p.a.

In 1935 Arthur had married Elsie Jean Klopper in Northam. Elsie died in Cottesloe on 10 Oct 1975 aged 67. They had two sons and a daughter