Arthur Percy Thomas Boyle

Arthur Percy Thomas Boyle

Personal Information
Date of Birth	29 Jun 1873
Place of Birth	Hobart, Tasmania
Death	Apr 1950
Place of Death	Hobart, Tasmania
Age at Enlistment	41 years, 9 months
Description	5' 6" (1.67m) tall ; 181 lbs 82.1 kg ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; fair hair
Occupation	Brickmaker
Religion	Roman Catholic
Address	c/- Mrs Collins, Cardup Brickworks, Cardup, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Eldest son , Mr Reginald Boyle
Military Information
Reg Number	17
Date of Enlistment	2 Mar 1915
Rank	Driver
Unit/Formation	28th Battalion, A Company / 7th Brigade, 2nd Division
Date of Embarkation	9 Jun 1915 ‒ 30 Jun 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A11 Ascanius
Date of Return	11 Dec 1918 ‒ 31 Jan 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Saxon
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	Armadale War Memorial (Beenup panel) Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral records show 1916 - Cardup, labourer.

War Service

Known to the Army as Percy Thomas Boyle. An original member of the 28th Battalion's 'A' Company from 16 Apr 1915, he had previously been in training as a member of 'C' Company 24th Battalion.

On arrival in Egypt the battalion was sent to the Abbassia camp near Cairo, where they trained until late August before beginning the move to Alexandria where they boarded the HMT Ivernia on the 4th September. On arrival in Mudross harbour 10 Sep 1915 they transferred to a smaller boat, the HMS Sarnia which then carried them to Anzac Cove and landed them that night.

Initially they took over the "Apex" salient before moving to the Lower Cheshire Ridge and finally Russell's Top. On the evening of 12th December most of the 28th Battalion was evacuated from Anzac to Lemnos aboard HMT Osmanieh. (Their machine gunners remained until the last evening). On 6th Jan 1916 they boarded the HMT Ausonia for Alexandria where they disembarked on 10 Jan 1916 before entraining for Tel-el-Kebir where they were responsible for protecting the Suez Canal near Ismailia.

On 15 Mar 1916 the 28th Battalion moved back to Alexandria from Moascar in order to board HMAT A32 Themistocles for Marseilles via Malta, arriving there on 21 Mar 1916. On 30 May 1916 Percy was seen by the 6th Field Ambulance and treated for gastritis, returning to his battalion on 5 Jun 1916. On 26 Aug 1916 Percy was reassigned as a Driver.

Percy sought medical assistance again on 5 Mar 1917 and was seen by the 7th Field Ambulance who sent him on to the Divisional Rest Station. He returned to the battalion on 17 Mar 1917. Percy had leave in England between 18 May and 4 Jun 1917. Soon after his return to France he again presented to the 7th Field Ambulance with cellulitis. They sent him to the 2nd Division's Rest Station before being transferred by Ambulance Train on 16 Jun 1917 to the 5th Division Rest Station. On 21 Jun 1917 he was returned to duty and rejoined the 28th Battalion on 23 Jun 1917.

On 31 Oct 1917 Percy was seen by the 3rd Field Ambulance and, diagnosed with myalgia, he was sent to the 17th Casualty Clearing Station. On 1 Nov 1917 he was again placed on an Ambulance Train for the 3rd Canadian General Hospital in Boulogne. On 27 Nov 1917 he was embarked on HMHS Carisbrook Castle for England, and on arrival the next day he was admitted to the 15th Southern General Hospital in Stourbridge near Birmingham. Percy was granted furlough from 8-22 Dec 1917 after which he reported to No. 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny where on 8 Jan 1918 he was reclassified as unfit for a return to France. He acted as a Driver for base units until he was sent home early on 11 Dec 1918 with severe Myalgia, and premature senility. Disembarking in Melbourne he chose to be discharged by the 3rd Military District on 24 Mar 1919.

"..fought through the Dardanelles campaign and went as regimental driver with his battalion to France."

Post War

The West Australian 16 Jan 1919 lists him as amongst the troops on the SS Saxon.

On his return from England, Percy went to Tasmania (after a brief time in Victoria), where the last electoral record for him is dated 1949. Aeath Notice was published in Hobart's The Mercury Sat 8 Apr 1950 p. 16.

Electoral Record entries - 1936 c/- E. Phillips, Snug, Tasmania, no occupation; 1940 at 6 Jordan Hill road, Hobart; 1943 Lindisfarme road Bellerive, no occupation; 1949 145 Bathurst street, West Hobart, pensioner.

Notes

Percy may not have been at Gallipoli until the evacuation as there is a belated entry in his records (1918) indicating that on 18 Nov 1915 he was charged with having been AWOL in Egypt from tattoo on 16 Nov 1915 until 12:35 am on 17 Nov 1915. For this he forfeited a day's pay.