World War I Commemorative Website

War Memorial Hall  c1929

Memorial Hall circa 1929
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Arthur NAPPER

NAPPER

Arthur Napper was born on 11 September 1890 in Sale, Victoria. His parents were Charles and Matilda (née Emery) Napper. He attended Scotch from 1907 to 1909. In 1909 he left to attend Geelong College, though on his Roll of Honour circular his father listed ‘Scotch College’ as Arthur’s school.

Arthur was bank clerk when he enlisted on 6 July 1915 at Melbourne. He served in the 29th Battalion with the rank of Private. His Regimental Number was 3289. A brother, Alfred, not a Scotch Collegian, was also killed in the war. Arthur died on 8 December 1916 in Le Havre, France. He was 26 years of age.

Service record

Arthur was initially allotted to reinforcements for the 10th Battalion, but by the time he left Australia (4 July 1916) he was part of the 7th Reinforcements to the 29th Battalion. In the meantime he had twice been hospitalised at Broadmeadows with influenza in May 1916.

He arrived in England in August 1916 and joined the 8th Training Battalion. He reached Etaples in France on 11 September 1916 and was appointed an Acting Corporal – indeed handwritten notes on his service record suggest that he was an Acting Sergeant at least from the time of arrival in England. However when on 29 September he finally joined his battalion, he was reverted to Private, as was standard practice for reinforcements.

He had been with the unit for barely two months when he was wounded on 3 December 1916. He received gunshot wounds to the back and left foot. The following day he reached a Casualty Clearing Station and by 6 December was in a General Hospital at Le Havre. However, he could not be saved and he died there two days later.

Arthur Napper is buried in the Ste. Marie Cemetery (Division 3, Row A, Grave No. II), Le Havre, France.

Sources:

  1. Australian War Memorial – Roll of Honour
  2. Mishura Scotch Database
  3. National Archives of Australia – B2455, NAPPER ARTHUR
  4. Scotch Collegian 1917 (Photograph only)
  5. The AIF Project - https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=220417

Page last updated: 11 November 2015