Sapper Arthur Percival Roe

SAPPER ARTHUR PERCIVAL ROE

1439 – Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company

Waterloo, near Liverpool, Lancashire, England was the birthplace of Arthur Percival Roe on September 8, 1886 the son of Peter and Sarah Francis Roe. In 1891 the family were residing at 6 Attenbury Road, Waterloo and consisted of Peter (34) bookseller, Sarah Francis (29), Mabel Francis (7), Eleanor Gertrude (5) and Arthur Percival (4).

Ten years passed and in 1901 they were living at 159 High Street, Harston and residents were Peter (44) stationer, Sarah (39), Mabel (17), Eleanor (15), Dorothy G. Clarice (1) and a general domestic servant Ann Collin (17).

In 1911 a decade later, the remainder of the family resided in a seven roomed house at 20 Electric Parade, Clacton-on-Sea in Essex were Peter (54) stationer and fancy goods dealer; Sarah (49) assisted in the business, and Dorothy Clarice (11). Their son Arthur (24) was living at 6 Electric Parade and worked as a tobacconist and fancy goods dealer.

At St Paul’s Church, Clacton-on-Sea on November 11, 1911, Arthur (25) married after banns, according to the rites of the Established Church, to Elsie Harvie (25) of 21 Electric Parade and daughter of Robert and Louisa Harvie of 78 Wellesley Road, Clacton-on-Sea. Elsie had been born in Knaresboro, Yorkshire and the nuptials were officiated by Rev Henry Seeley.

A year later Arthur (26) and Elsie Roe (26) sailed from Liverpool, England to Australia on the White Star liner Runic which arrived at Albany, W.A. on November 23, 1912, the voyage terminating in Sydney, NSW on December 2, 1912. A small announcement appeared in the:

At the recruiting depot in Sydney, NSW on February 15, 1916 the twenty-nine year old clerk applied to enlist for active service abroad and passed the medical examination. Attestation Forms were completed describing him at enlistment as 171cms (5ft 7½ins) tall, weighing 67.2kgs (148lbs) with a chest expansion of 82-93cms (32-36½ins). Complexion was fresh with his brown eyes passing with good vision and had dark brown hair. Distinctive mark was a scar on his chin and Free Thinker was given as his faith. Next-of-kin was his wife Mrs Elsie Row of 96 Wellesley Road, Clacton-on-Sea, England and allotted three-fifths of his pay in support of his wife and child. He was sworn in at Casula, near Liverpool, NSW the same day.

There was no time for basic training when allotted to the First Reinforcement to the Mining Corps on February 15. His rank was Sapper with the regimental number 1439.

At a civic parade in the Domain, Sydney on Saturday February 19, 1916, a large crowd of relations and friends of the departing Miners lined the four sides of the parade ground. Sixty police and 100 Garrison Military Police were on hand to keep the crowds within bounds. The scene was an inspiriting one. On the extreme right flank, facing the saluting base, were companies of the Rifle Club School; next came a detachment of the 4th King’s Shropshire Light Infantry, then the bands of the Light Horse, Liverpool Depot, and the Miners’ on the left, rank upon rank, the Miners’ Battalion.

The Corps boarded HMAT A38 Ulysses in Sydney, NSW on February 20 and sailed for the European theatre. Arriving in Melbourne, Victoria on February 22 the Miners camped at Broadmeadows for a stay of 7 days while further cargo was loaded.

Another parade was held at the Broadmeadows camp on March 1, the Miners’ Corps being inspected by the Governor-General, as Commander-in-Chief of the Commonwealth military forces.

Leaving Melbourne on March 1, Ulysses arrived at Fremantle, Western Australia on March 7 where a further 53 members were taken on board.

On Wednesday March 8, 1916 the whole force, with their band and equipment, paraded at Fremantle prior to leaving Victoria Quay at 9.30 o’clock.

The ship hit a reef when leaving Fremantle harbour, stripping the plates for 40 feet and, although there was a gap in the outside plate, the inner bilge plates were not punctured. The men on board nicknamed her ‘Useless’. The Miners were off-loaded and sent to the Blackboy Hill Camp where further training was conducted.

The Mining Corps comprised 1303 members at the time they embarked with a Headquarters of 40; No.1 Company – 390; No.2 Company – 380; No.3 Company – 392, and 101 members of the 1st Reinforcements.

Finally departing Fremantle on April 1, Ulysses voyaged via Suez, Port Said and Alexandria in Egypt. The Captain of the shipwas reluctantto take Ulysses out of the Suez Canal because he felt the weight of the ship made it impossible to manoeuvre in the situation of a submarine attack. The troops were transhipped to HM Transport B.1 Ansonia, then on to Valetta, Malta before disembarking at Marseilles, France on May 5, 1916. As a unit they entrained at Marseilles on May 7 and detrained on May 11 at Hazebrouck.

A ‘Mining Corps’ did not fit in the British Expeditionary Force, and the Corps was disbanded and three Australian Tunnelling Companies were formed. The Technical Staff of the Corps Headquarters, plus some technically qualified men from the individual companies, was formed into the entirely new Australian Electrical and Mechanical Mining and Boring Company (AEMMBC), better known as the ‘Alphabetical Company’.

With his civil qualification as a clerk his service was beneficial to the work of the Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company therefore was transferred and taken on strength with the company on October 7, 1916.

Service continued without injury or sickness and Blue Chevrons were issued to wear on his uniform for serving twelve months abroad.

Disciplinary action was dealt for the following:

Crime: A.W.L. by overstaying leave to U.K. absent from 6.30 a.m. 12/12/17 to

6.30 a.m. 13/12/17

Award: Forfeits 7 day’s pay and Field Punishment (2 days under R.W.)

Total forfeiture: 9 day’s pay

In an audit of the company on March 23, 1918 he was still with his unit.

Sapper proceeded on Special Leave from July 22, 1918 and returned to duty on July 29. He was still serving with the company when Peace was declared and the company remained on the front continuing to generate electricity and supply and service small engines and pumps for water supplies for those rehabilitating their areas.

Leave to England was taken from December 3, 1918 rejoining on December 19, 1918.

On January 6, 1919 he was transferred to England for duty and disembarked at Dover and report to the D.M.S., A.I.F. at Headquarters in London taking up temporary duty with the Aust Army Postal Corps at the Aust Base Post Office on January 9.

He marched out to take leave on April 26, 1919 and returned on May 5. On September 16 he marched out from the Aust Postal Corps to the Orderly Room for repatriation then proceeded on indefinite leave to await the family ship home.

He arrived at Sutton Veny camp on September 30 and left for No. 2 Group camp on October 1, 1919.

After demobilisation on October 6, 1919 the H.T. Pakiha departed from Southampton for the voyage to Australia with Sapper Roe on board. The ship docked in Melbourne, Vic (3rd M.D.) on November 24, 1919. News of their arrival was published in the:

Military Discharge was issued in Sydney, NSW (2nd M.D.) on January 17, 1920 on termination of his period of enlistment.

The District Finance Officer requested in a memo to Base Records on July 23, 1920 the Military District in which Sapper Roe enlisted. They replied on July 26 that ‘enlistment was in the 2nd Military District.’

The following year this petition was published in the:

For service for his country Sapper 1439 Arthur Percival Roe, Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company the British War Medal (34160) and the Victory Medal (33726).

He married in 1921 to Rose Mary Gridley with the marriage registered at Woollahra, NSW.

In 1930 they were residing at 1 Davis Street, Chatswood with his occupation as clerk. In 1933 he was a bread-carter and their address was 3 Davis Street, Chatswood.

In 1936 he was a poultry farmer at 30 Jamieson Street, Dee Why and in 1943 worked as a smelter and their home was at Surrey Avenue, Dee Why.

During World War II Arthur enlisted with the Australian Army at Paddington, Sydney on June 1, 1940 from Dee Why, NSW at 54 years of age. Next-of-kin was Rose Roe. He served as Staff Sergeant N72486 with the 2nd Aust Army Command Pay Office and was discharged on February 3, 1944.

Arthur Percival Roe passed away aged 69 years on May 3, 1956. Arrangements were published in the:

A Statement of Service was requested by the Repatriation Department Sydney from Base Records and forwarded on June 13, 1962.

REUNIONS

Former members of the (Alphabet Company) Aust Electrical & Mechanical Mining & Boring Company and Tunnellers’ in Sydney would meet to march in the Anzac Day parade then attend their annual luncheon. Roll Registers for newsletters of this annual event were kept and his name appears as follows:

1928 A. Roe Davis Street, Chatswood

1934 A. Roe Davis Street, Chatswood changed to: Surrey Avenue, Dee Why

Notation: Letters returned 30/11/34; 12/2/35 &

12/11/39