Not Forgotten, 1982 Private Arthur Stanley Wiffen MIZEN, 11 Battalion AIF, World War 1

Private Arthur Mizen was born in Suffolk, England, but by the time of his enlistment the family was farming in Wyalkatchem so his enlistment papers indicate he is the son of Albert Mizen of Wyalkatchem. Mizen Road is south of Wyalkatchem off the Tammin Road. Arthur Mizen enlisted at Blackboy Hill on 2 February 1915 at the age of 22 and was placed in the 5th Reinforcements to the 11th Battalion.Although he listed his occupation as farmer, Mizen had been apprenticed as a carpenter in Perth.
In May of 1915 Mizen was on his way to Suez on the A20 S.S. Hororata, leaving Colombo on 7 May and due to arrive in Suez on 20 May. On 9 May Mizen reported sick suffering from sunstroke. Already he was incoherent and by 11 May he was unconscious. The ship’s hospital notes say he was to be moved regularly, his back was to be rubbed with methylated spirits and dried then dusted with boracic powder twice a day, he was to be given milk and water at a rate of 3:1 every 2 hours plus ice packs were to be used as his temperature climbed. Mizen’s temperature reached 106⁰ and on 13 May he died. Arthur Mizen was buried at sea on 14 May 1915.
Private Mizen was awarded the 1914/15 Star and the British War Medal. He is also listed on the Wyalkatchem War Memorial and is commemorated on the Chatby Memorial in the Central Alexandria Cemetery, Egypt, for those lost at sea.
In March 1915 Alexandria became a camp and hospital centre for Commonwealth and French troops and the base of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. The Chatby Memorial is at the eastern end of the Alexandria War Memorial Cemetery and commemorates almost 1,000 Commonwealth servicemen who died during World War 1 and have no other grave but the sea. Many of them were lostwhen hospital ships or transports were sunk in the Mediterranean, sailing to or from Alexandria.
Others, like Arthur Mizen, died of wounds or sickness while aboard vessels and were buried at sea. Because he had never arrived in an operational theatre Arthur Mizen was awarded only the British War Medal. Anecdotally, it is said that the family destroyed all the photos of Arthur Mizen in uniform.