Lillywhite, Arthur

1862A Private Arthur Lillywhite – 33rd Battalion AIF & W73780 9th Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps

Arthur Lillywhite was born in Port Pirie South Australia on the 7^th April 1894. While he was still young his parents brought the family to Western Australia. The family took up farming in the wheat belt town of Cowcowing though after his parents died, Arthur’s brother Gordon moved to Fremantle while Arthur continued on the farm.

On the 10^th March 1916 Arthur travelled to Perth to enlist in the AIF. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording Arthur’s physical attributes as;

Height:                                     5 feet 10 inches;

Weight:                                    120lbs;

Chest Measurement:              33-36 inches;

Complexion:                            Dark;

Eyes:                                       Brown;

Hair:                                        Brown;

Religious Denomination:         Church of England;

Distinctive Marks:                   Nil.

After his successful enlistment, Arthur was sent to No.60 Depot at Blackboy Hill Camp. On the 1^st May 1916 he was assigned to the 5^th Reinforcements to the 51^st Battalion, however five days later on the 6^th May he was transferred to the 2^nd Reinforcements to the 44^th Battalion, who had just begun training at Claremont Showgrounds Camp.

Arthur would train with his new group while they waited for their embarkation orders to arrive. Prior to their departing overseas, the 2nd Reinforcements had their group photo taken at Claremont Camp.

Their embarkation orders finally came through and on the 9^th August 1916 Arthur and the 2^nd Reinforcement Group boarded the HMAT Miltiades in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England. The journey took seven weeks and they berthed at Plymouth Harbour on the 25^th September 1916.

After being disembarked the men were marched into the 11^th Training Battalion at Codford Camp on the Salisbury Plains. On the 13^th October Arthur was taken on strength of the 44^th Battalion. However on the 11^th November the men from 2^nd Reinforcements to the 44^th Battalion were transferred to the 33^rd and 34^th Battalions of the 9^th Brigade AIF. Arthur would join the 33^rd Battalion but he didn’t have long with his new unit in England as the 33^rd embarked from Southampton on the 21^st November 1916. The 3^rd Division units were sent to what was called the Nursery sector near Armentieres. It was so called as at this stage it was a quiet part of the front line for new troops to acclimatise to the conditions of the Western Front. Arthur was in D Company and he remained with the 33^rd Battalion for the rest of their time on the Armentieres front and moved with them to Ploegsteert in May 1917.

The 33^rd Battalion were now preparing to take part in the Battle of Messines and on June 7^th, the 9^th Brigade were allotted the southern flank of the assault, with the 33^rd Battalion on the extreme right. On the morning of the attack, the mines which had been dug under the German lines were detonated, taking out large portions of the German front, and proved a huge help to the advancing soldiers. However the 33^rd Battalion were still drawing a lot of fire from beyond their southern flank. Despite this all the Battalion’s objectives were taken. Arthur survived the assault but he lost his good mate John Lambert who was killed instantly after being shot in the head.

Through June and July 1917 the 33^rd Battalion remained in the Messines sector, rotating in and out of the front line. On July 29^th Battalion moved back to Neuve Eglise and August was spent out of the line in training and refitting. In September the 33^rd Battalion as part of the 3^rd Division began their move towards the Ypres front. They were about to join the other Australian divisions who were taking part in the Third Battle of Ypres.

On the 30^th September the Battalion came into the line at Zonnebeke though on the 1^st October were relieved and went back to reserve positions. The following day, 2^nd October all available men in the unit, were sent to work in burying communication cables. Much of this work was conducted under shellfire and Arthur was wounded in the scalp by shrapnel.

After initial treatment at the 3^rd Field Ambulance, Arthur was sent to the 2^nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. As the wound proved not to be too severe Arthur was sent to the 2^nd Convalescent Depot at Rouen. On the 10^th October he was transferred to the 11^th Convalescent Depot at Buchy. Arthur had a month’s stay here though on the 9^th November he was transferred to the 3^rd Australian Division Base Depot. He remained here for several days, eventually rejoining the 33^rd Battalion on the 22^nd November 1917 in the Le Touquet sector.

Arthur spent the 1917 Christmas with the 33^rd Battalion at L’Epinette however he soon received good news that he had been granted leave to England. On the 7^th January 1918 he left France for a well deserved break, returning a fortnight later on the 21^st January 1918. Arthur spent the next month with the 33^rd, but on the 23^rd February he was evacuated sick and at the 2^nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station he was diagnosed with Myalgia. He was transferred to the 14^th General Hospital at Boulogne. He remained there until the 8^th March, when he was transferred to the 6^th Convalescent Depot. He spent five days here and as he had recovered Arthur was sent to the Australian Infantry Base Depot at Rouelles.

Arthur rejoined the 33^rd Battalion at the Villers-Bretonneux front on the 18^th April 1918. The 33^rd had been busy defending the Villers-Bretonneux sector from the Germans and on the 24^th April the Germans launched another large bombardment of the area and captured the village but only held it for a short time as they were routed by the 13^th & 15^th AIF Brigades.

Arthur was with the 33^rd Battalion as they saw action at Morlancourt on May 7^th, and through May and June they remained in the Villers-Bretonneux sector. In early July the 33^rd Battalion was moved south of the Somme River.

Preparations were now underway for the allied offensive which would begin on August 8^th 1918 when Australian, British and Canadian divisions would launch a massive assault on the German positions.

The 33^rd Battalion was moved to the near Hamel village and the 9^th Brigade assault quickly captured Accroche Wood and Gailly Ridge. The 33^rd then moved south of the Somme, where through August and September 1918 they helped to keep the Germans on the run all the way to the Hindenburg Line.

On the 29^th September near St Emilie, Arthur was wounded by shrapnel in the back. He was initially treated at the 11^th Field Ambulance and then the 50^th CCS. Arthur was sent to the 6^th General Hospital at Rouen but the wound was not severe as he returned to the 33^rd Battalion on the 14^th October. The 33^rd Battalion was now out of the front line sector and they were still at Hallercourt when the Armistice was declared on the 11^th November 1918.

Arthur was given leave on the 21^st December 1918, rejoining his unit on the 9^th January 1919. On the 6^th February Arthur went to Charleroi on leave, returning on the 12^th March. On the 13^th April Arthur was sent to the 11^th Field Ambulance as he had reported ill. He was transferred to the 3^rd Australian General Hospital where he was diagnosed as suffering from pleurisy. He was transferred to England and was admitted to St Andrew’s Military Hospital.

On the 20^th April 1919 Arthur was sent to the 3^rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital. Six days later he had recovered and was therefore given two weeks’ furlough. On the 10^th May Arthur reported to Codford Camp and he was put on the transport list to Australia.

On the 1^st June 1919 Arthur boarded the HMAT Somali and set sail for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 8th July 1919. After being disembarked the men were marched through Fremantle to the No.8 Australian General Hospital for medical checkups. Arthur was found to be fit and well and was quickly released from hospital. He initially went to his brother, Gordon Lillywhite’s house in Sewell St East Fremantle.

Arthur was discharged from the AIF on the 9^th August 1919, four years to the day of leaving Fremantle.

Arthur was soon to leave Fremantle and set up house near the country town of Northam WA where he again took up farming.  In 1921 he married Isabella Bennett and they would have three children, John, Nancy and Margaret.

All three of his children would serve in some capacity in World War Two. Arthur also joined the local Militia, being a member of the 9^th Battalion VDC (W73780) in Northam. Arthur and his children would survive the 2^nd World War unscathed.

Arthur would die on the 8^th March 1963 in the Perth suburb of Riverton. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery and his ashes scattered over the rose gardens.