Branch of Service

Army

Conflict

World War I (1914-1918)

Date of Enlistment

15/04/1916

Date of Discharge

04/09/1919

Place of Enlistment

Cootamundra NSW

Gender

Male

Date of Birth

24/10/1891

Place of Birth

Hall ACT

Address (at enlistment)

Aurville, Harden Mines NSW (previously Hall ACT)

Occupation

Labourer

Next of Kin

Jacob Blundell (father), 'Willow Farm' via Hall ACT

Service Number

2520 A

Final Rank

Private

Final Unit

45 Battalion AIF

Hall Memorial Grove, Victoria Street, Hall ACT

Arthur Blundell was born in the Hall district in October 1891 and grew up on the family property, 'Willow Farm'. He was working in the Harden district at the time he enlisted in March 1916. He left Australia in August 1916 as a Private with the 5th reinforcements to the 45th Battalion and arrived in France in December 1916 where his unit were operating in the Flers sector on the Somme. 1917 was a tough year for Blundell. Bouts of pneumonia and pleurisy meant that he spent most of the year in hospital in England but he did rejoin his unit in time to participate in the battle at Polygon Wood in Belgium in September 1917 where he was wounded. He was on leave in the UK when his unit were involved in the Battle of Dernancourt in April 1918. Blundell spent several months in hospital during 1918 before returning to Australia the following year. He also served in World War 2 in the Volunteer Defence Corps. Blundell died on 29 July 1975.

Description - height 5 feet 5 inches, weight 145 pounds, chest 34 inches, medium complexion, blue eyes, brown hair, Church of England.

NAA RecordSearch - Series B2455 (First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920)
Lyall Gillespie, 'The Southwell Family, pioneers of the Canberra district', 1988
Queanbeyan Age - 16 December 1919
WWII Nominal Roll http://www.ww2roll.gov.au