Every, Arthur George

Private Arthur George Every - 51st Battalion AIF

Arthur George Every was born in Wyalong New South Wales in 1897 to Frederick and Emily Every. The family moved to Western Australia while Arthur was still young and set up their house in Attfield Street Fremantle. Arthur and his siblings attended Beaconsfield State School. After finishing his education Arthur took up work as a telegraph messenger and telegraph operator. He also was a member of the 86A Citizen Military Forces.

On the 1st September 1915 aged just 18 years and 2 months old, Arthur went to the Perth Drill Hall, with the signed consent of his parents to enlist in the AIF. He was passed as fit and on the 30^th September was accepted for service. The medical examiner found Arthur to be 5 feet 5 inches tall; weight of 119 lbs; chest measurement of 32-35 inches tall; fair complexion; blue eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England.

Arthur was initially sent to No.32 Depot where he remained for a month, then transferring to D Company of 4 Depot Battalion. On the 16^th December 1915 he was allotted to the 9^th Reinforcements to the 28^th Battalion. He trained with them in WA for the next two months and then they received their orders to depart. On the 12^th February 1916 Arthur boarded the H.M.A.T. “Miltiades” in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for Egypt. On arrival in Egypt in March Arthur was sent to the 7^th Training Battalion. However after a short time here he did not join the 28^th Battalion but was instead sent to another WA unit, the 51^st Battalion.

Arthur was taken on strength on the 2^nd April 1916 and trained with this unit in Egypt until the first week of June when they boarded a transport ship in Alexandria, bound for France. Arriving at Marseilles on the 12^th June, the men of the 51^st Battalion were put onto trains and sent to the north of France. They went into the front line trenches for the first time near Fleurbaix on the 22^nd June. Five days later on the 27^th, Arthur was badly wounded by shrapnel. He was taken back to the 3^rd Field Ambulance and then to the 1^st Australian Casualty Clearing Station. Unfortunately his wounds proved severe and he died on the 29^th June. He was buried at Estaires Communal Cemetery in plot II.V.8.

His brother Fred also served in the war as a sailor on HMAS Sydney and survived the war.