Hopkins, Arthur
3062 Private Arthur Hopkins -3rd Pioneer & 5th Pioneer Battalion AIF
Arthur was born in Williamstown Victoria in 1888 to Isaac and Catherine Hopkins. He was educated and grew up in Victoria before moving to Western Australia in the 1900's.
Arthur found employment as a horse driver and also served in the Citizens Military Forces with the Fremantle Highlanders. He was initially living at 65 Mandurah Road South Fremantle.
He married Jessie Mary Smith in Fremantle in 1915 and they were initially living in 28 Charles Street South Fremantle (later renumbered to 12 Charles Street) before moving to 23 Queen Victoria Street Fremantle (later renumbered to 18 QVS).
A daughter Elva was born to Jessie and Arthur in 1917.
On the 31st January 1919 Arthur enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 5 & 1/2 inches tall;
Weight - 151lbs;
Chest Measurement - 39 inches;
Complexion - Fair;
Eyes - Blue;
hair - Fair.
Upon his successful enlistment, Arthur was assigned to the Depot Training unit where he was taken through the basics of infantry work. He was then assigned to "D" Company of the 3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion. This unit was being formed in different parts of Australia, but "D" Company was created in WA. Arthur was given the regimental number 1164.
Before they embarked they had their photo taken with Arthur being back row on the left.
However before the WA section of the 3rd Pioneer battalion embarked, Arthur fell ill and was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle. Arthur took some time to recover and when he was better, instead of being sent to the 3rd Pioneer Battalion, which was then in England, Arthur was sent back to Blackboy Hill Camp. Arthur was now assigned to the 7th Reinforcements to the 5th Pioneer Battalion. His regimental number now changed to 3062.
He trained with this group in WA for a few months and on the 9th November 1916 Arthur and his group boarded the transport ship HMAT Argyllshire in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England, reaching Devonport in January 1917.
After being disembarked Arthur was sent to the Pioneer Training Battalion at Larkhill Camp on the Salisbury Plains. Arthur trained here for the next few months but on the 28th March 1917 he was sent over to France. He would spent the next few weeks at the 5th Australian Division Base Depot Camp at Etaples and then joined the 5th Pioneer Battalion on the 16th April 1917.
The 5th Pioneer Battalion was then in the Lagnicourt and Bullecourt sector of the Western Front. They were put on work such as improving the communication trenches, roads and repairing and making dugouts. Arthur saw action at Bullecourt in May 1917, when the 5th Division was in action there.
On the 15th May 1917 he was evacuated sick but rejoined his unit on the 25th May 1917.
In June 1917 the 5th Australian Division was given a three month rest period out of the front line, and much of this time was taken up with training and sporting activities.
On the 14th July 1917 Arthur reported sick and was suffering from influenza and trench fever. He was sent to the 10th General Hospital at Rouen and from there also spent a few weeks in the convalescent camp and then the base depot.
Arthur rejoined the 5th Pioneer Battalion on the 18th August 1917. In early September 1917 the 5th Division moved to the Ypres sector in Belgium where they would soon take part in the Third Battle of Ypres. However Arthur would miss this action as he had a recurrence of the influenza and trench fever and was evacuated to hospital at Boulogne. He was there till the 7th October 1917 when he was moved to the convalescent camp at Tronville. He would remain here for a few weeks before being returned to the 5th Division Base Depot Camp in November 1917. Arthur then rejoined the 5th Pioneer Battalion on the 9th December 1917.
From December 1917 to March 1918 the 5th Pioneers were stationed south east of Ypres between Hollebeke and Messines. On the 27th February 1918 Arthur was granted two weeks leave to England.
On March 21st 1918 the Germans launched their Spring Offensive which broke through the Third and Fifth British Armies and captured much territory on the Somme and so the Australian divisions in Belgium were sent south to stem the advance. The Fifth Division came down and helped stop the Germans, their most notable action being at Villers-Bretonneux on the 24th/25th April 1918. The Germans had captured the village from British troops and the 4th & 5th Divisions helped recapture it.
On the 24th April during the German capture of the village they sent over large amounts of shells. The 5th Pioneer Battalion, stationed at Bussy-Les-Daours suffered 1 killed and 7 wounded from the shelling. Fortunately Arthur escaped being hit. The 5th Pioneers then remained in the Villers-Bretonneux region for the next few months.
When the great advance of 8th August commenced, the 5th Pioneers followed their infantry and served at Peronne and the Hindenburg outpost line in September 1918. They were then withdrawn from the line for a rest period. Arthur had come through the 1918 actions unscathed. Arthur was still serving with his unit when the Armistice was announced.
When the German units pulled back to their own borders, the Australians were sent to garrison parts of France and Belgium that had been under German occupation. The Australians would remain here for the next few months, but as more men were being sent home, the units were getting smaller and by April/May 1919 many units were being disbanded.
Arthur had a period of leave in England in February/March 1919 but otherwise was with his unit during this time. On the 16th April 1919 Arthur returned to England and was sent to No.5 Group Camp at Weymouth. He would remain here while waiting to be assigned a berth on a troopship home.
On the 3rd September 1919 Arthur boarded the troopship Barambah and set sail for Australia. Arthur disembarked in Melbourne on the 17th October 1919 and then made his way back to WA. He was discharged from the AIF on the 2nd December 1919.
He then returned home to Fremantle and a daughter, Gwen was born in North Fremantle in 1920.
The family were now living at 23 Lilly Street South Fremantle (later renumbered to 13 Lilly) and Arthur was working as a Lumper on Fremantle wharf. However he soon went to work for Fremantle Tramways as a Tram Driver.
In 1949 Arthur collapsed while in the Drivers cab at the tram stop outside Fremantle Town Hall. Fortunately he appears to have recovered quickly.
Arthur lived at 13 Lilly Street through to the 1960's. He died on the 7th August 1964 aged 76. He was buried in Fremantle Cemetery plot Congregational MOND DD 0134.