b. 11/08/1896 Granville, Sydney, Australia.. d. 25/02/1978 Nyngan, NSW, Australia.
Arthur Charles Hall (1896-1978) was born on 11th August 1896 at Granville, near Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. His father, Charles Hall, was a grazier from Lake Bathurst, NSW. He married Emma Jane King on 29th March 1894 at Granville, NSW. They would live at Glenelg and Willeroon Stations, near Nyngan, NSW. Arthur had three siblings – Mary, Ella and Henry.
Arthur was educated at All Saints’ College, Bathurst, NSW 1909-12. While there he served for two years in the Senior Cadets. He became an overseer on his father’s properties. Arthur enlisted in the AIF at Dubbo, NSW on 3rd April 1916. He embarked at Sydney on HMAT A40 Ceramic with 6th Reinforcements for 54th Battalion on 7th October 1916 and arrived in Plymouth, Devon on 21st November. He was based on Salisbury Plain, Wiltshire and was appointed acting sergeant with 14th Training Battalion on 22nd November. He then embarked for France on 21st December and reverted to private on joining 5th Australian Division Base Depot.
He was wounded by shrapnel on 30th March and didnt rejoin the unit until 21st April. He was promoted to lance corporal and then corporal. On 18th January 1918 he was taken ill with trench fever and was treated at 1st New Zealand Field Ambulance and No 3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station. He was evacuated to England and was treated at Exeter War Hospital from 27th January. He did not return to France until 22nd May.
Arthur C Hall VC
On 1st September, while the 54th Battalion was engaged in an attack on Péronne, a machine-gun post was checking the advance. Single-handed, Hall ‘rushed the position, shot four of the occupants and captured nine others and two machine-guns. Then crossing the objective with a small party, he afforded excellent covering support for the remainder of the company’. He was continually in advance of the main party, located many points of resistance and personally led parties to attack them. Next day, while his unit mopped up at Péronne, Hall rescued a wounded mate under shell-fire. For his actions on 1 and 2 September he was awarded the Victoria Cross. On 11th October he was transferred to the 56th Battalion and on 6th March 1919 was promoted temporary sergeant a rank he retained until his discharge from the A.I.F. on 3rd August in Sydney. He received his VC from King George V at Buckingham Palace on 10th April 1919.
After demobilization Hall returned to the Nyngan district where he bought a pastoral property, Gundooee station, near Coolabah. On 26th April 1927 he married Catherine Jessie Hemington Harris at the Union Church, Lahey’s Creek, with Anglican rites. They had four children. In 1942 he served as a lieutenant in the 7th Garrison Battalion and on returning to Gundooee carried on his pastoral activities, running sheep and building up a fine herd of Poll Devon cattle. He was president of the Nyngan Picnic Race Club for twenty years and was a foundation member and keen competitor in the Coolabah District Rifle Club; he was also active in the Nyngan District Historical Society.
He attended the VC Centenary Celebrations in Hyde Park, London on 26th June 1956. He travelled with six other NSW VCs, and the widows of six more. Arthur died in Nyngan District Hospital, NSW on 25th February 1978. His funeral was held at the Anglican Church of St Matthew’s, West Bogan, Coolabah, NSW. He was buried in the churchyard. He is commemorated with the Arthur C Hall VC Club in Sydney, on the VC Memorial in Sydney, on the VC Recipients Wall at North Bondi War Memorial, on the VC recipients plaque in Campbell, ACT, and with a VC commemorative stone at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire.
In addition to the VC, he was awarded the British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal 1914-19, War Medal 1939-45, Australia Service Medal 1939-45, George VI Coronation Medal 1937, Elizabeth II Coronation Medal 1953 and Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal 1977. The medals were donated to the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL, CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA
BURIAL PLACE: ST MATTHEWS CHURCHYARD, WEST BOGAN, COOLABAH, AUSTRALIA.
Acknowledgements:
Ashleigh Brown – Images of Hall VC’s grave at St Matthew’s, Coolabah, NSW.
Steve Lee www.memorialstovalour.co.uk – Image of the Hall VC Medal Group at Australian War Memorial, Canberra.