Coolahan, Arthur

No.606 – Sergeant Arthur Coolahan – 28^th Battalion AIF

Arthur Coolahan was born in Newtown Sydney NSW in 1897 to Edward and Maud Coolahan. While he was young the family moved across to Western Australia where they took up residence in Sydney St South Fremantle. Arthur was educated at Beaconsfield State School and after leaving took up work at the Fremantle Railway Station where he worked as a porter and then as a junior operator on the Signals. During this time Arthur was serving with the 86A Senior Cadets.

On the 10^th March 1915, aged just 18 years and 2 months old, Arthur went to the Recruitment Office in Perth and offered his services to the AIF. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner finding Arthur to be 5 feet 11 inches in height; weight of 139 lbs; chest measurement of 33-35 inches; fresh complexion; brown eyes and auburn hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. After spending a month in No.12 Depot, Arthur was allotted to B Company of the newly forming 28^th Battalion AIF with the regimental No.606.

This group trained in WA until they embarked from Fremantle aboard the H.M.A.T. “Ascanius” on the 29^th June 1915. After they arrived in Egypt they joined up with the other battalions of the 7^th Brigade for the first time and continued with their training.

On the 4^th September 1915 they left Alexandria bound for Gallipoli. The 28^th Battalion had missed the August battles but for the next few months would hold the line in the newly captured territory at places such as the Apex and Rhododendron Spur. Casualties were not heavy but they were constant and with sickness such as dysentery that struck, the 28^th had many men being evacuated.

Arthur survived the Gallipoli campaign but on arrival in Lemnos Island was admitted to hospital with frost bite and neuralgia. He joined up with the 28^th in time for their departure from Lemnos Island. The 28^th Battalion arrived back in Egypt on the 10^th January 1916 and a few months of training lay ahead. Arthur was given a job in the Signal section of the battalion and was promoted temporary Corporal.

They departed Egypt on the 16^th March 1916 and headed for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 21^st March 1916. The 28^th Battalion as part of the 2^nd Division were sent north to the region around Armentieres, where they would spend the next few months. On the 1^st June Arthur’s rank of temporary Corporal was made permanent. In July the 28^th Battalion were sent to the Somme to take part in the advance. They relieved the 1^st Division from Pozieres and were tasked with continuing the gains. On the 29^th July 1916 the 28^th Battalion were severely mauled by machine gun fire, and again on August 4^th, were severely hit though in this assault they held onto their gains.

Arthur survived the Somme battles unscathed and on the 1^st September 1916 was promoted to Sergeant. He was wounded during the assault at Flers on the 3^rd November 1916 when the 28^th Battalion had to advance through horrible muddy conditions. The attack was a failure and though wounded, Arthur remained on duty as it wasn’t a serious wound. Arthur was granted a period of leave to England. He left on the 25^th November 1916; and returning to France on the 9^th December 1916.

Arthur served through the Hindenburg Outpost line actions of March/April 1917 as well as Bullecourt in early May 1917. He also survived through the 28^th Battalion’s actions of the Third Battle of Ypres, however later in October 1917 when the 28^th were holding the line near Passchendaele Arthur was severely wounded by a gas shell. On the 29^th October he was admitted to the 10^th Casualty Clearing Station and then the 3^rd Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne. Arthur fought for life for several days but on the 9^th November 1917 he passed away. The official cause of death was listed as Gas poisoning & bronchopneumonia.

Arthur was buried in Boulogne Eastern Cemetery France in plot VIII.I.109.

Arthur’s mother was granted a fortnightly pension of 20/- after his death. Arthur’s Uncle also died in the war; Lieutenant John Stephen Coolahan MC from Sydney NSW served in the 5^th Machine Gun Company, 2^nd Machine Gun Battalion. He was seriously wounded when taken prisoner by the Germans on the 7^th April 1918 and later died.

Edward and Maud Coolahan continued to put in memorial notices in the paper for their lost loved ones, as their two nephews, Leslie Hill and William Stapleton were also killed in the war.

In the West Australian of 9^th November 1918 they put the following commemoration.

Coolahan – In loving memory of our dear son, Sergeant Signaller Arthur Coolahan, 28^th Battalion died of wounds and gas 3^rd Canadian General Hospital November 9^th 1917; and our dear brother Lt JS Coolahan died of wounds September 3 1918.

No One knows the silent heartache; Only those can tell; Who have lost their best and dearest; Without a last farewell.