Arthur Hall (soldier): Difference between revisions

| captionalt = Arthur Charles Hall =

| serviceyears = 1916–1919<br/>1942–1943

| battles = {{Tree list}}

*First* [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]]

Hall was born on 11 August 1896 in the [[Sydney]] suburb of [[Granville, New South Wales|Granville, Sydney]], to a livestock farmer and his wife. After attending school in [[Bathurst, New South Wales|Bathurst]], he worked with his father on properties near [[Nyngan, New South Wales|Nyngan]] in [[New South Wales]].<ref name="Hall">{{cite web|lasturl=Hall|year=1983http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hall-arthur-charles-6523|title=Hall, Arthur Charles (1896–1978)|last=Hall|first=George|year=1983|website=|publisher=Australian Dictionary of Biography|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019053745/http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hall-arthur-charles-6523 |archive-date=2012-10-19 |accessdate=25 April 2012}}</ref>

In April 1916, at the age of 19, Hall enlisted in the [[First Australian Imperial Force (1st)|Australian Imperial Force]] (AIF). After training, he was posted to [[54th Battalion (Australia)|54th Battalion]], then serving on the [[Western Front (WWIWorld War I)|Western Front]] in [[France]]. He was wounded in late March 1917, within two months of arriving in France. Back in the front lines by late April, he saw action during the [[Battle_of_BullecourtBattle of Bullecourt#Second_Battle_of_Bullecourt_Second Battle of Bullecourt .283.E2.80.9317_May_19179317 May 1917.29|Battle of Bullecourt]] and later, during the second phase of the [[Battle of Passchendaele]], in the [[Battle of Polygon Wood]]. He was promoted to [[corporal]] after this latter battle.<ref name=Hall/>

The battalion was involved in fighting on the Somme from early to mid -1918, including the [[Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux]]. It was then involved in the [[Hundred Days Offensive]] which began in August.<ref name=Hall/>

On 1 September 1918 at [[Péronne, Somme]], Hall rushed a machine-gun post, shooting four of the enemy and capturing nine, with two guns. Continuously in advance of the main party, he personally led assault parties, capturing many small parties of the enemy and machine-guns. On the morning of 2 September during a heavy barrage, he carried to safety a comrade who had been dangerously wounded and was in urgent need of medical attention. It was for these actions that Hall was awarded the [[Victoria Cross]].<ref>{{London nameGazette |issue=Hall31067|date=13 December 1918 |page=14778|supp=y }}</ref>

After the war, Hall returned to the Nyngan district and purchased his own property, Gundooee station, for farming. He married in 1927.<ref name=Hall/>

During the [[World War II|Second World War]], Hall served for a time as a [[lieutenant]] in a garrison unit but returned to farming sheep and cattle once his service was no longer required. Active in community affairs, he died in the district hospital on 25 February 1978, survived by his wife and four children. Helen, George, Dennis and Charles. He is buried at St Matthew's Church in West Bogan, while his Victoria Cross is displayed at the [[Australian War Memorial]], in [[Canberra, Australia|Canberra]].<ref name=Hall/>

[[Category:OzMilitary VCpersonnel nofrom infoboxNew South Wales]]