Spence, Arthur Rennie

382 Corporal Arthur Rennie Spence – 44th Battalion

Arthur Rennie Spence was born in 1890 to Captain James and Lucy Spence. He was educated locally and after leaving school Arthur took up a carpentry apprenticeship for 4 and a half years in Fremantle. Arthur had been a member of the school cadets for four years and then joined the senior cadets when he left school. Arthur then joined the 11^th Australian Infantry Regiment and he remained a member with them while he worked as a carpenter.. The 11^th was later disbanded and Fremantle then provided a company for the 86^th Regiment of the Citizens Military Forces.

In 1912 Arthur married Rachel Cooper in Fremantle and they would set up residence in Taylor Street South Fremantle.

Arthur had tried to enlist early in the war but due to his false teeth he was knocked back. However Arthur tried again and on the 7^th January 1916 and this time was accepted for service. The medical officer at Swan Barracks in Perth recorded Arthur’s physical attributes;

Height:                                     5 feet 11 inches;

Weight:                                    136lbs;

Chest Measurement:              33-37 inches;

Complexion:                            Fresh;

Eyes:                                       Blue;

Hair:                                        Brown;

Religious Denomination:         Presbyterian

Distinctive Marks:                   Scar on right shin

Upon being sent to Blackboy Hill Camp Arthur was allotted to No.1 Depot Company though he didn’t remain there for long as on the 10^th February 1916 he was transferred to “B” Company of the 44^th Battalion AIF. The next four months were taken up with training at Blackboy Hill Camp and Osborne Rifle Range. The orders for embarkation finally came through and on the 6^th June 1916 the 44^th Battalion boarded that HMAT Suevic in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England, disembarking in Plymouth on the 21^st July 1916. The men were then sent to the 3^rd Australian Division training grounds on the Salisbury Plains. A rigorous training then commenced for the 44^th Battalion from August to November. There were quite a few members of the 44^th sent to France to reinforce other WA Battalions however by the time they embarked from England on the 25^th November 1916, the 44^th Battalion had been reinforced to its full complement.

The 44^th Battalion was sent to the Armentieres sector of the Western Front to become accustomed to trench life on a quieter section of the front. They spent Christmas and New Year here in the snow of Armentieres. On the 23^rd January 1917 Arthur was detached for duty with the 11^th Machine Gun Company, though five days later he was wounded when shrapnel hit him in the shoulder. Arthur was taken to the 11^th Field Ambulance for initial treatment and he was then transferred to the 1^st Australian Casualty Clearing Station. Arthur remained there until the 1^st February when he was put on an ambulance train for Boulogne. He was then put on a hospital ship and sent to England where he was then admitted to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Netley. Arthur remained recovering in this hospital until the 26^th February when he was transferred to the 3^rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital. He was then given a medical assessment and sent on a period of furlough.

On the 13^th March 1917 Arthur reported for duty to Perham Downs Camp. He stayed there for 10 days but on the 23^rd March was transferred to Wareham Camp where he was assigned to the newly created 70^th Battalion of the 6^th Division AIF. For the next six months Arthur trained with this new unit and on the 14^th May was promoted to Lance Corporal, and on the 16^th September to Corporal.

The dwindling number of reinforcements coming from Australia was not enough to keep the units in France at full strength, let alone fill the new 6^th Division, so it was decided to disband the 6^th Division AIF and send the men back to their previous units. On the 19^th September 1917 Arthur reported to the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill and six days later on the 25^th he left Southampton England for France. On the 26^th September Arthur marched into the 3^rd Australian Division Base Depot at Rouelles. He had a week here and on the 3^rd October Arthur left to rejoin the 44^th Battalion, though it took five days to locate the 44^th in Belgium, as he was only taken on strength on the 8^th October 1917.

The 44^th Battalion were then in the midst of the Third Battle of Ypres and had seen action at Zonnebeke and Broodseinde. On the 12^th October the 44^th Battalion also participated in the drive on Passchendaele though Arthur came through unscathed.

Through the 1917/18 winter the 44^th Battalion spent much of the time in the Messines/Warneton sector. On the 15^th March 1918 Arthur was granted a period of leave to Paris. While he was on leave the Germans launched their spring offensive which broke through the Third and Fifth British Armies. The Germans were making a speedy advance towards Amiens and so the Third and Fourth Australian Divisions were sent south to stop this advance. On March 28^th the 44^th Battalion came into contact with the Germans and as the 44^th advance they were met with heavy machine gun fire. The 44^th couldn’t advance but they also prevented the Germans from gaining more ground. More action was seen by the battalion over the coming days as the Germans continued to try and advance towards Amiens. Through April 1918 the 44^th Battalion were in the line at Sailly-le-Sec and rested at Bonnay and Heilly. In May the 44^th moved to the Villers-Bretoneux front though their next major action would be on the 4^th July 1918 when the 43^rd & 44^th Battalion captured Hamel village from the Germans.

Four days after this successful action Arthur reported sick and was sent to the 11^th Field Ambulance where he was diagnosed with influenza. On the 14^th July Arthur was sent on to the 5^th Casualty Clearing Station. Arthur was then sent to hospital in Le Treport where he remained until the end of July. Arthur was then sent on to the 1^st Convalescent Camp and it appears that he was still unwell as he remained in this camp until the 24^th October 1918. Arthur then went into the Australian Infantry Base Depot at Rouelles where he stayed for the next week. He then returned to the 44^th Battalion on the 3^rd November 1918. The 44^th Battalion were then out of the front line having a well deserved rest and Arthur was able to celebrate the Armistice with is battalion mates.

On the 9^th December 1918 Arthur was granted two weeks leave to the UK though he didn’t report back on the 23^rd and was declared absent without leave. Arthur decided to spend Christmas and New Years in England and only reported for duty on the 2^nd January 1919. He must have had an understanding commanding officer a it appears Arthur was not punished for his extra week of unauthorised leave.

Arthur remained with the 44^th Battalion until the 2nd April 1919 when he returned to the AIBD. He had a few more days here but on the 8^th April arrived in Southampton and was marched into No.3 Group camp in Codford. He had to wait some time for a berth on a ship to WA as it wasn’t until the 1^st June 1919 that he boarded the SS Somali for the journey home. Arthur disembarked in Fremantle on the 8^th July 1919.

Arthur Rennie Spence died on the 18^th January 1954 and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.