Corporal Reuben Arnold
- Rank
- Corporal
- Service number
- 5310
- Decorations
- Military Medal
- Unit
- 28 Battalion
- Cause of death
- Died of Wounds
- Place of death
- Passchendaele, Belgium
- Date of death
- 1 November 1917
- Age
- 31
- Plaque number
- M311A
- Co-located plaques
- M311 - PTE Kenneth Shaw-Walker
- Dedicated by
- Great Nephew on 16 August 2008
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Corporal Reuben Arnold MM of 28 Battalion was born in Brighton Victoria in January 1886, the eldest son of Robert and Ellen Arnold. The family later moved to Western Australia and they resided in Lake Street North Perth.
He attended state schools in Victoria and Perth. Reuben was an accomplished distance runner, footballer and swimmer. He was also a very good axeman and won several competitions while working at Ardath in the Bruce Rock area.
He was working as a woodcutter when he enlisted in Serpentine in February 1916. In 1916 he embarked at Fremantle on HMAT Miltiades, bound for Plymouth and then proceeded to France.
He was promoted to lance corporal, corporal and acting sergeant.
In October 1917 he was awarded the Military Medal and his citation reads:
'for conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. At the attack on Westhoek Ridge on 20.9.17 on learning that his company was too far to the left he worked most energetically to get the men back and gave great help to his officers. When some of the men went into our own barrage he moved forward at great personal risk and got them back. He showed fine judgement in consolidating and set a splendid example until he was wounded late in the afternoon.’
After hospitalisation, he re-joined his unit and was again wounded.
Acting Sergeant Reuben Arnold MM, service number 5310 of 28 Battalion, died of wounds through mustard gas poisoning on 1 November 1917. He was 32.