Corporal (Later Lieutenant Colonel) Herman Arnold

Ancestor Details

Name of Ancestor: Herman Augustus ARNOLD

Ancestor's date of birth: 08/08/1881

Ancestor's date of death: 22/10/1960

Cause of Death: Heart Attack

Service Number: 2362

Colony or State of enlistment: NSW Place of Enlistment: Bega?

Unit: 3RD N.S.W. Mounted Rifles

Rank attained in Boer War: CPL, Date Effective: 23/09/1902

Highest Rank attained (if served after war): LTCOL, Date Effective: 02/08/1941

Murray Page: 142

Contingent: Fifth New South Wales

Ship: Maplemore, Date of Sailing: 15/05/1901

Memorial details: Details not provided

Decorations: South Africa: Queen's Medal with five clasps. World War 1 - British War Medal & Victory Medal World War 11 - War Medal, Australia Service Medal, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Meritorious Service Medal.

Personal Characteristics: Height 174 cm, Brown Eyes, Dark Complexion, Hair - Dark Brown

Reasons to go and fight: Unknown

Details of service in war: From 2 May 1901 to 28 April 1902 in the eastern Transvaal and in eastern Orange Free. In early 1902 Herman's unit took part in several drives, the principal one being the Harrismith drive, which resulted in the capture of 251 prisoners, 26,000 cattle, and 2,000 horses. In February 1902 the regiment was in action during the Boer breakthrough at Langverwacht. In May the regiment embarked at Cape Town for Australia, leaving on 4 May and reaching Sydney on 3 June, after having stopped at Albany, Adelaide, and Melbourne.

Service and life after the Boer War: Continued to serve in the militia, promoted sergeant 23 September 1902, colour sergeant 26 January 1907, was a salesman in civil life. Enlisted in the Permanent Military Forces on 1 February 1909.In 1916 he was living at 137 Bellevue Street, North Sydney, and was married, wife's initials L M. He was a Lieutenant commanding the machine gun section of 36 Battalion AIF when it embarked from Sydney, on board HMAT A72 Beltana on 13 May 1916. After training in England he landed in France late November 1916, and moved into the trenches of the Western Front for the first time on 4 December, just in time for the onset of the terrible winter of 1916-17. He was promoted Captain before he experienced his first major battle Messines, launched on 7 June 1917. The next major battle was around Passchendaele on the 12 October 1917. Heavy rain, though, had deluged the battlefield, and thick mud tugged at the advancing troops and fouled their weapons. The 36 Bn secured its objective but with open flanks and ineffective artillery support, was forced to withdraw. For the next five months the 36 Bn alternated between periods of rest, training, labouring, and service in the line. When the German Army launched its last great offensive in the spring of 1918, the battalion was part of the force deployed to defend the approaches to Amiens around Villers-Bretonneux. It took part in a counter-attack at Hangard Wood on 30 March, and helped to defeat a major drive on Villers-Bretonneux on 4 April. Herman Arnold returned to Australia on 19 October 1918. He continued to serve in the Permanent Military Forces on his return, reverting to the rank of lieutenant, 1926 again saw him as a captain, he was promoted major in 1936. Ultimately Herman was retired in 1941 with the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Descendant Details

Name of Descendant: Megan Mary MURRAY, West Pennant Hills NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grandaughter

Name of Descendant: Helen Thomson, ERINA FAIR NSW
Relationship to Ancestor: Grand daughter

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