The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (2192) Sergeant Arnold Lambert Worboys, 30th Battalion

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Charis May, the story for this day was on (2192) Sergeant Arnold Lambert Worboys, 30th Battalion, First World War.

2192 Sergeant Arnold Lambert Worboys, 30th Battalion
KIA 23 March 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 16 August 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Sergeant Arnold Lambert Worboys.

Arnold Worboys was born in 1897 in Bolwarra, New South Wales, to Jabez and Anne Worboys. His father died when he was ten years old, leaving Arnold, his two brothers, and his three sisters to be raised by their mother. Arnold attended the East Maitland High School, and was an officer in the Senior Cadets both at school and afterwards. He became Clerk of Petty Sessions at Singleton, and proved to be more than capable for the role, becoming known for his “ability and unfailing courtesy”.

Worboys enlisted on 3 September 1915. Before leaving the Maitland district he was presented with a number of gifts, including a silver cigarette case from the cadets, a valuable pocket watch from his friends in the Methodist church, and a wristwatch and a pair of binoculars from his work. In all the presentations he was spoken of in the highest terms, and many staff from the Singleton Court House praised his work.

Worboys left Australia with the 3rd reinforcements to the 30th Battalion. Within days of arriving in Egypt he contracted measles and spent some time in hospital. On recovery he went to England, where he continued training for several months. He was sent to France late in 1916, where he promptly contracted the mumps and was unable to join his battalion in the field until December 1916. Shortly afterwards he was promoted to corporal, and a month later, in February 1917, to sergeant.

In March 1917 the 30th Battalion entered the front line around the French village of Beaumetz. On 23 March German attack forced entry into the village, and the Australians counter attacked to retake their original positions. During the attack, Sergeant Worboys was shot through the head, and was killed instantly. He was buried near where he fell, and two of his comrades rode back out to his grave a week or so later to make sure there was a cross there with his information on it. Lieutenant Yeomans, commanding officer of C Company, wrote, “Arnold Worboys was about the most popular sergeant I have seen with his men, and everybody in the Company were truly sorry at his death”.

This popular young man and promising soldier was killed at the age of 19. The wrist watch presented to him by the Singleton Court was returned, damaged, to his sister Edith. His grave was lost in the subsequent fighting, and he is now commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial in France.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War. There is no photograph in the Memorial’s collection to display beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Sergeant Arnold Lambert Worboys, and all of those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.