Arthur Hamlyn
Name: Arthur James Hamlyn
Rank: Private
Service Number: 6492
Units Served: 4th Battalion
Personal Details: Arthur was born near the town of Torrens Vale and lived in Second Valley working as a labourer. He was a son to Katherine Hamlyn of Second Valley. Arthur was 5’ 6” and weighed 124 pounds with brown hair.
Enlistment Details: Arthur enlisted on the 6th of May 1916 in Second Valley South Australia. He was aged 22 years and 2 months at the time
Details about his role in War: Arthur departed Australia from Sydney aboard the Aeneas on the 30th of September 1916. He disembarked at Plymouth on the 19th of November that same year. From there he proceeded to France on the 20th March, 1917 where he was taken on strength by the 4th Battalion on the 25th. On the 15th of April 1917 Arthur showed great courage in the line of duty. He would eventually be awarded the military medal for his act. The official citation read: In the attack on 15th April, 1917, by the Germans on Demicourt this man showed great courage and devotion to duty. He saved a critical situation by moving into the open and sniping the entire crew of a German machine gun silencing its fire altogether. Then on the 5th of May 1917 Arthur was killed in action as the 4th Battalion took position in support lines at Bullecourt. They had been relieved in the front line earlier in the day and had returned to the railway embankment when they were hit by heavy enemy shelling. He was buried in the vicinity of Noreuil but his remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the wall of the Australian National Memorial at Villers-Brettoneux.
Date of Death: 5th May 1917
Age at Death: 23 years 2 months
Memorial Details: 26 Villers Bretonneux-France
Interesting Material: Arthur Hamlyn’s diary is kept at the Australian War Memorial but we did not receive the copy we ordered in time for this trip.
