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 11th Australian Infantry Regiment and he remained a member with them while he worked as a carpenter.. The 11th was later disbanded and Fremantle then provided a company for the 86th 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 7th 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 10th February 1916 he was transferred to “B” Company of the 44th 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 6th June 1916 the 44th Battalion boarded that HMAT Suevic in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England, disembarking in Plymouth on the 21st July 1916. The men were then sent to the 3rd Australian Division training grounds on the Salisbury Plains. A rigorous training then commenced for the 44th Battalion from August to November. There were quite a few members of the 44th sent to France to reinforce other WA Battalions however by the time they embarked from England on the 25th November 1916, the 44th Battalion had been reinforced to its full complement.
The 44th 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 23rd January 1917 Arthur was detached for duty with the 11th Machine Gun Company, though five days later he was wounded when shrapnel hit him in the shoulder. Arthur was taken to the 11th Field Ambulance for initial treatment and he was then transferred to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station. Arthur remained there until the 1st 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 26th February when he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital. He was then given a medical assessment and sent on a period of furlough.
On the 13th March 1917 Arthur reported for duty to Perham Downs Camp. He stayed there for 10 days but on the 23rd March was transferred to Wareham Camp where he was assigned to the newly created 70th Battalion of the 6th Division AIF. For the next six months Arthur trained with this new unit and on the 14th May was promoted to Lance Corporal, and on the 16th 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 6th Division, so it was decided to disband the 6th Division AIF and send the men back to their previous units. On the 19th September 1917 Arthur reported to the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill and six days later on the 25th he left Southampton England for France. On the 26th September Arthur marched into the 3rd Australian Division Base Depot at Rouelles. He had a week here and on the 3rd October Arthur left to rejoin the 44th Battalion, though it took five days to locate the 44th in Belgium, as he was only taken on strength on the 8th October 1917.
The 44th Battalion were then in the midst of the Third Battle of Ypres and had seen action at Zonnebeke and Broodseinde. On the 12th October the 44th Battalion also participated in the drive on Passchendaele though Arthur came through unscathed.
Through the 1917/18 winter the 44th Battalion spent much of the time in the Messines/Warneton sector. On the 15th 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 28th the 44th Battalion came into contact with the Germans and as the 44th advance they were met with heavy machine gun fire. The 44th 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 44th Battalion were in the line at Sailly-le-Sec and rested at Bonnay and Heilly. In May the 44th moved to the Villers-Bretoneux front though their next major action would be on the 4th July 1918 when the 43rd & 44th Battalion captured Hamel village from the Germans.
Four days after this successful action Arthur reported sick and was sent to the 11th Field Ambulance where he was diagnosed with influenza. On the 14th July Arthur was sent on to the 5th 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 1st Convalescent Camp and it appears that he was still unwell as he remained in this camp until the 24th 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 44th Battalion on the 3rd November 1918. The 44th 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 9th December 1918 Arthur was granted two weeks leave to the UK though he didn’t report back on the 23rd and was declared absent without leave. Arthur decided to spend Christmas and New Years in England and only reported for duty on the 2nd 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 44th Battalion until the 2nd April 1919 when he returned to the AIBD. He had a few more days here but on the 8th 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 1st June 1919 that he boarded the SS Somali for the journey home. Arthur disembarked in Fremantle on the 8th July 1919.
Arthur Rennie Spence died on the 18th January 1954 and was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.



