Arthur Samuel Adey

Arthur Adey (Service No 3678) was born in Woonona, N.S.W. in 1890.

In 1911 he married Amy Cann and they had 2 children.

At enlistment Samuel he was 25 years old, worked as a letter carrier, and lived in Armidale,N.S.W.  He had served 1 year in the Militia. 

He embarked from Sydney on HMAT A7 Medic with 12th Reinforcements, 4th Battalion, on 30th December 1915.  The troops arrived in Egypt and Arthur was posted to the Camel Corps on 18th March 1916.

He was promoted to Sergeant on 11th November 1916 and then to Company Sergeant Major on 24th February 1917.  On 19th June 1917 he reverted to Private and joined the Provost Corps in Egypt, quickly gaining promotion to Staff Sergeant Major.

Arthur received two (2) Mention in Despatches which were awarded in 1917 & 1919.

Arthur served until the end of the war when he requested that he remain in Egypt. This was denied as his wife would not agree, wanting him to return home to the family.  However, Arthur did not embark for the trip home and was declared Absent without Leave on 22nd July 1919.  He was discharged from the AIF on 1st April 1920.

In 1923 both Arthur's father and wife wrote to the Army requesting they try to locate him.  Eventually, in 1922, his wife divorced him for desertion.

Arthur eventually returned to Australia in 1925.

In 1939, he was working for Newtown Council in Sydney.

Arthur married a second time, to Ethel Smith in 1927.

Arthur died suddenly in Marrickville hospital in 1943.