FRY, Arthur Franklin VETERAN

Name – FRY, Arthur Franklin VETERAN
Born – 1895
Died – 2/10/1917
Location – No 1 Methodist Section
Mother – Elizabeth Lyons
Father – Edward Frank Fry

Notes – Arthur was born at Narracan, Victoria to Edward and Elizabeth Fry. His siblings were Blanch, Annie, and Mary. His half siblings were Elsie, Margaret, Clarence and Keith.

Both his mother and step mother died before he was 11 years of age. His father died in 1914 when Arthur was 19 years old.

Arthur was working as a farmer when he enlisted in the AIF in 1915 aged 20. Once allocated his service number of 2031, he was assigned to the 14th Rifles, 2nd Light Horse. His sister Annie of Tara, was nominated as his next of kin and in his army will, he requested all his estate was to be equally between all his siblings if he was killed.

On the 31st Jan, 1916 aboard the HMAS Wandilla he set sail for overseas service. Sadly, Arthur was one of the many Australian soldiers Killed in Action in Belgium, and his remains are buried in The Huts Cemetery. Plot 8 Row B Grave 9 at Dickebush, Belgium.

In the Tara Cemetery, Arthur is remembered along with his sister Elsie Muriel and father Frank Edward. There is a large headstone with the following inscription – In Affectionate Remembrance of Frank Edward Fry Died Nov 2nd, 1914 aged 54 Years – Elsie Muriel Fry Died May 10th, 1914 aged 9 years – Arthur Franklin Fry A.I.F. Killed in Action Oct 2nd, 1917 Aged 22 years.

Newspaper Article – Death notice

War Service File  – FRY, Arthur Franklin

Learn more about the Tara Cemetery here.