Abbott, PTE Arthur Ewbank

Private Arthur Ewbank Abbott (1899-1962), butcher, lift attendant and soldier, was born in Perth in 1899, son of Arthur and Janet Abbott. He grew up in Leederville with his family until enlisting for the Australian Imperial Force. 

Abbott enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force as soon as he came of age. He arrived at the front after the fighting at Passchendaele. He only got to see action during the German Spring Offensive in early 1918 where he was wounded and repatriated back to Australia.

After the war, he married Sylvia G C Pengelly in 1922 in Perth. They moved in together and initially lived at 46 Bourke Street, Leederville before moving to 173 Charles Street, West Perth. Together, they had two sons (Stanley, 1924, Roy, 1925) and one daughter (Irene, born 1923). Abbott continued to work as a butcher until the 1930s, living in Victoria Park and Leederville. After a period of unemployment, he became a lift attedant, moving to Bayswater in the 1950s, where he would reside for the rest of his life. Abbott died on the 27th March 1962 in Bayswater, Perth, W.A. at the age of 63. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery in the Garden of Remembrance.

Notes

1925 – 173 Charles Street, West Perth, Butcher

1931 – 32 Leonard Street, Victoria Park, Butcher

1936, 1943 -310 Oxford Street, Leederville, No Job

1949 – 373 Oxford Street, Leederville, Lift Attendant

1954 – 39 Kitchener Avenue, Bayswater, Lift Attendant

Record completed by Luca Muir Anderson

Abbott was an Australian soldier who was an expert in close combat,
He was physically and mentally tough, compassionate and courageous,
He led by example, he strove to take the initiative,
He was committed to learning and working for the team,
He believed in trust, loyalty and respect for his country, his mates and the Army,
The rising sun was his badge of honour,
He is an Australian soldier, Always!

Sources

National Archives of Australia – 3016524

FamilySearch – LK4R-9N1

The West Australian – 11/06/1924 P.1, 6/10/1925 P. 1

Western Mail – 15/10/1915 P.43

Electoral Rolls of Australia

Record completed by Luca Muir Anderson