Sapper Arthur Lloyd Palmer

SAPPER ARTHUR LLOYD PALMER

5090 – 1st Tunnelling Company

Rockhampton, Queensland was the birthplace of Arthur Palmer Lloyd on September 9, 1887, the son of Thomas and Emma Louisa (nee Harrison) Lloyd. He married on March 6, 1912 to Violet Prudence Ashcroft. In 1913 he was a miner residing at Morgan Street, Mount Morgan, Qld and his wife died on January 15, 1914.

At the Central District Central Recruiting Depot in Rockhampton, Qld he applied to enlist for active service abroad and passed the medical examination. Particulars from his Attestation Forms reveal he was 163cms (5ft 4ins) tall and weighed 54kgs (119lbs) with a chest measurement of 86cms (34ins). Complexion was dark with brown eyes and dark hair. Religious faith was Church of England. Next-of-kin was his mother Mrs Louisa Lestrange of Morgan Street, Mount Morgan but later changed to Bolsover Street, off Fitzroy Street, Rockhampton and allotted three-fifths of his pay in support. ‘The Oath of Allegiance’ was signed and taken the same day.

At Enoggera Camp, Brisbane Basic Training commenced with the 11th Depot Battalion from January 12 until February 12, 1916. He was then sent for further training to the Miners’ Depot (1st Military District) concluding on July 17 and was transferred to Seymour, Victoria to join the Reinforcements to the Tunnelling Companies. He was quickly assigned to the 2nd Reinforcements in the rank of Sapper with the regimental number 5090.

Two days after arrival in Victoria Sapper Lloyd was one of 79 Reinforcements departing on HMAT A26 Armadale from Port Melbourne, Victoria on July 19, 1916. Durban, South Africa was reached on August 15, 1916 and leave was granted from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. departing the next day. Arrived at Cape Town a few days later on August 20, 1916 and a Route March lasting three hours kept them fit before enjoying leave until 11 p.m. The ship was scheduled to leave at 2 p.m. but cancelled and left the following day at 5 p.m. The quality of liquor in town was considered bad. A one day stopover to refuel at Port le Grand, St Vincent was the last harbour visited on September 8, 1916. After a 64 day voyage the ship arrived at Devonport, England on September 20, 1916. The troops were detrained to Tidworth Station and marched into the No. 3 Details Camp at Parkhouse for further training a day later.

On October 11, 1916 the following Offence was dealt with:

Offence: Parkhouse 9/10/16

A.W.L. from 2400hrs 8/10/16 to 1200hours 10/10/16

Award: 7 days C.B. [confined to barracks] by Lt M. Kennedy O.C.

Forfeiture: 2 days pay.

The Reinforcements departed overseas on October 15, 1916 to France arriving at the Aust General Base Depot on four days later.

He was attached to the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion on December 11, 1916 which was an advanced section of the Base Depot that organised works near the lines and through duties, usually of ten days duration, would accustom the reinforcements to war conditions before being assigned to a company in the field.

Sapper Lloyd was Taken on Strength with the 1st Tunnelling Company on December 31, 1916.

On January 26, 1917 he went sick to the 69th Field Ambulance suffering from Scabies and transferred to the 50th Casualty Clearing Station then relocated to the No. 4 C.C.S. where it was discovered a ‘new disease supervening’. He entered the 32nd Stationary Hospital at Wimereux on January 31, 1917 with debility. He was invalided to England from Boulogne on the hospital ship Princess Elizabeth and admitted to the Norfolk War Hospital on February 8 with debility being the diagnosis.

He has transferred to the 3rd Aust. Auxiliary Hospital on March 5, 1917 and four days later was discharged on Furlough until March 24 with orders to report to No. 4 Command Depot at Wareham camp. On March 29 he proceeded to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott then to Fovant on April 3. The following day he was classed with B1a2 debility and marched into the camp at Perham Downs.

By May 5, 1917 he was sent to the Hardening and Drafting Depot for fitness training. While in camp the following discipline was issued:

Offence: H & D Depot, Perham Downs

Neglecting to obey A.I.F. Depot orders 10/1/17 Para bounds.

Award: 7 days C.B.

On June 4, 1917 proceeded from Folkstone to France to the A.G.B.D. at Rouelles two days later and returned to his unit on June 11, 1916. The following punishment was issued on June 26, 1917:

Offence: [While on Active Service] W.O.A.S. in the field

17/6/17 Drunkenness

Award: Detention 5 days.

Meanwhile back in Mount Morgan on December 5, 1917 the Roll of Honour Board for employees of the Mount Morgan Gold Mining Company Ltd was publicly displayed. The name Lloyd A. appears on the Honour Board as he was an employee of the Company when he enlisted.

Blue Chevrons were due to him for his service and continued routinely until May 8, 1918 when he went sick to the 73rd Field Ambulance and admitted N.Y.D. (not yet diagnosed). A transfer to the 4th C.C.S. followed a day later and on May 10 he was admitted to the 22nd General Hospital at Camiers.

After two days he was again invalided to England on the hospital ship Princess Elizabeth this time with Bronchitis and entered the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham with a severe case. On May 29, 1918 his mother was advised that her son was in hospital and a second time on June 8 saying he was progressing favourably. Released on June 11 to Furlough was to report on June 25 to the No. 1 Command Depot and marched in from Headquarters to Sutton Veny on June 25 entering the Clearing Hospital with Influenza. Base Records gave further notification to Mrs Lestrange that her son was now convalescent on June 26, 1918.

Released from hospital on July 11 to the No. 1 Command Depot he progressed to the Overseas Training Brigade at Longbridge Deverill on August 2, 1918. At the end of the month on August 30 he departed Folkstone for France arriving the next day at the A.G.B.D. in Rouelles and left two days later for his unit rejoining on September 4, 1918.

On September 26, 1918 he was wounded in action and sent to the 133rd Field Ambulance suffering shrapnel lacerations to his forearms but discharged to duty two days later. There are no Unit Diaries for this period to reveal the company’s movements at this time. On October 6, 1918 he was admitted to the 20th C.C.S. with a Septic Arm and discharged ten days later to duty. Base Records gave advice to his mother that he had been wounded and on October 21 he was out of hospital.

He was admitted to the 37th C.C.S. diagnosed with Phthisis (Miner’s Tuberculosis) on November 6, 1918 and conveyed on A.T.19 the next day for admittance to the 3rd Stationary Hospital with slight Bronchitis. Two days after Peace was declared he departed for England on November 13 on the hospital ship Guildford Castle with debility (P.U.B. of Lung) where the next day he entered the Bermondsey Military Hospital in Ladywell diagnosed with Tuberculosis.

A transfer two days later to the 1st Aust. Auxiliary Hospital in Harefield followed and on December 2 went sick to the No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth.

On December 12, 1918 he embarked from England as an invalid on the hospital ship Karoola to return to Australia due to Tubercle of Lung. His mother was advised by Base Records during December that her son was returning home and also he had been in hospital. The ship docked in Sydney, NSW (2nd M.D.) on January 30, 1919 and left form Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.) soon after.

Military Discharge was issued on March 29, 1919 in Brisbane, Qld (1st M.D.).

He returned to 142 Bolsover Street, Rockhampton and employed as a porter later that year.

Sapper 5090 Arthur Palmer Lloyd, 1st Tunnelling Company received the British War Medal (19533) and the Victory Medal (19047) for his active service abroad.

A Statement on his Service was forwarded to the Repatriation Department, Brisbane on August 6, 1935.

Sirius Street, Clermont, Qld was his residence when he was a labourer listed in 1937 and from 1943 onwards he is shown as residing at Barratt Street, Cairns, North Qld with no occupation listed.

During the Second World War he re-enlisted with the Australian Army in Cairns, Qld on April 13, 1942 and served as a Signalman with the 1 Lines of Communication Signals with the service number Q156326. His next-of-kin was Amelia Lloyd and was discharged on October 26, 1944.

Arthur Palmer Lloyd passed away in Cairns on August 11, 1961 aged 74 years. The Cairns Post on Saturday August 12, 1961 published this notice:

His grave is located in the Front Side West sector of the Monumental section in the Martyn Street cemetery, Cairns at row AD, plot no. 7529.