Not Forgotten, 3229 Private Arthur WERNDLY, 46 Battalion AIF, and 4090 Frederick Owen WERNDLY, 32 Battalion AIF, World War 1

Private Arthur Werndly appears to have been farming in Dowerin with his brother Harry on Hindmarsh Road, Dowerin Lakes at the time of Arthur’s enlistment. Arthur Werndly was born in Riverton, South Australia the son of Henry and Martha Werndly of Armadale, Perth, and he was educated at Kelmscott. Arthur enlisted at Perth at the age of 32 on 18 October 1916 and sailed for England on H.M.A.T. A34 Persic on 29 December 1916, arriving in England on 3 March 1917 and stationed at Codford Camp. Werndly then crossed to France on 4 June 1917 and was taken on strength with the 46th Battalion.
The46th Battalion was raised in Egypt on 24 February 1916 as part of the “doubling” of the AIF. Approximately half of its new recruits were Gallipoli veterans from the 14th Battalion, and the other half, fresh reinforcements from Australia. The new battalion was composed mostly of men from Victoria, although some of the reinforcements hailed from New South Wales and Western Australia. As part of the 12th Brigade of the 4th Australian Division, the 46th Battalion arrived in France on 8 June 1916, destined for the Western Front and Arthur Werndley saw action at Armentières. Later in the summer of 1917 the focus of the AIF’s operations switched to the Ypres sector in Belgium where the 46th took part in the battles of Messines and Passchendaele. The 46th rotated in and out of the front line throughout the winter of 1917-18.
In the spring of 1918, it played a role in turning the great German offensive by defeating attacks around Dernancourt in the first days of April 1918. During the Allied offensive that commenced in August, the 46th also played an active part, fighting in the battle of Amiens on 8 August and in the battle to secure the Hindenburg “outpost line” on 18 September. Arthur Werndley was killed in Jernacourt on 18 September 1918 and is buried in the Jeancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, east of Peronne. On the Roll of Honour circular Private Werndly’s mother wrote that he went out under shell fire to bring in a wounded comrade and was killed instantly. Arthur Werndly is buried in the Jeancourt Communal Cemetery Extension, Jeancourt, Picardie, France
Prior to enlisting Arthur Werndly was farming on Hindmarsh Road, south Dowerin. Arthur’s brother. 4090 Private Frederick Owen Werndly, 32 Battalion AIF, enlisted a few months before Arthur and he too saw action at Armentières, Bapaume, Messines, Bullecourt and was severely wounded at Amiens in July 1918, dying of his wounds on 1 August 1918. He is buried at the British Cemetery in Amiens, although his name is not recorded on the Dowerin War Memorial. It is unclear if Frederick was in Dowerin with Arthur. After the death of her sons, Mrs. Werndly lived in Armadale.

Private Arthur Werndly was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.