The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Lieutenant Arnold Talbot Wertheimer, 12th Battalion, First World War.

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 , the story for this day was on Lieutenant Arnold Talbot Wertheimer, 12th Battalion, First World War.

Lieutenant Arnold Talbot Wertheimer, 12th Battalion
KIA 4 June 1918
Story delivered 4 June 2018

Today we remember and pay tribute to Lieutenant Arnold Talbot Wertheimer.

Arnold Wertheimer was born in 1894 in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton, the eldest son of Arnold and Sara Wertheimer. His father had been born in England and educated in England and Germany. Arnold senior had had a wide and varied career, including time in Argentina and service in the Matabele War, before coming to Australia and settling in Tasmania, where he eventually took on the role of secretary of the Tourist Association. Arnold junior grew up in Hobart in Sandy Bay, and later in Bellerive. His father was often absent from the home due to his work.

Arnold Wertheimer completed his education as a young teenager, and by the time he was 17 years old he was working in Queensland with a survey party. In 1911 his father died, and he was able to attend the funeral before going back to Queensland, where he was working as an assistant surveyor on the outbreak of war in 1914.

Wertheimer enlisted for service with the Australian Imperial Force within weeks of the outbreak of war. He completed a period of training in Australia before leaving for active service overseas with the 15th Battalion just before Christmas 1914. The 15th Battalion was first sent to Egypt, and from there it landed on Gallipoli on the afternoon of the 25th of April 1915.

Private Wertheimer was on the peninsula for about a month before being evacuated to Lemnos with enteric fever. When his condition worsened he was taken to hospital in Egypt, and in September he was sent home to Australia to recover. The rest on the journey home helped him improve, and by the time he reached Tasmania in October 1915 he was reported as “almost recovered”.

After a period of convalescence, Wertheimer reported back for active service at Claremont Camp in early 1916 with the rank of private. He proved an able soldier, and after a series of promotions was sent to officers’ training school at Duntroon, where he earned his commission. Arnold Wertheimer left Australia a second time for active service overseas in December 1916, this time with the rank of second lieutenant and with reinforcements to the 12th Battalion.

Shortly after arriving in France, Wertheimer again became ill, and spent nearly three months recovering. He finally reached the 12th Battalion on the battlefields of the Western Front in October 1917, and a month later was promoted to full lieutenant.

In March 1918 the 12th Battalion was in the line at Hollebeke [pron. Holler – beck], near the Belgian town of Ypres [pron. Eee – per]. Its outpost line came under a heavy enemy bombardment, during which one Australian was wounded. Lieutenant Wertheimer, who was in charge of the outpost, rushed from cover to reach the wounded man. Under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire he carried the man back to the support line, saving his life. For his conspicuous gallantry during this action, Wertheimer was recommended for a decoration, which he did not receive.

In early June 1918 the 12th Battalion participated in an operation to attack Mont de Merris in France. The Australians caught the enemy in the process of relieving their front-line troops, and was a complete success. In order to improve their position, that night Lieutenants Wertheimer and Wardlaw led parties forward to capture a nearby wood. Wardlaw later described leading his platoon under heavy fire, with the Germans being well aware of his party and seeming to expect a larger attack. At 2am he sent a message to say “have gained objectives but ground in immediate vicinity is very strongly held by the enemy”. In reply, he received a message ordering him to withdraw, saying “Mr Wertheimer’s platoon has been badly cut up”.

Arnold Wertheimer did not return with the remnants of his platoon. A member of a Lewis gun crew covering the advance later reported that Wertheimer had walked into a nest of enemy machine-guns in the dark. The private heard Wertheimer shout to his men to fall back, and recalled, “he was the gamest man in the battalion”.

It took some time for the Wertheimer family to determine where their son and brother was buried. It was eventually determined that he was buried in the Outtersteene Communial Cemetery Extension at Bailleul, where he lies today under the words “dearly loved eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. Wertheimer, Tasmania.”

In the early 1920s Sara Wertheimer was able to travel to France to see her eldest son’s grave. She never returned to Australia, dying on the return journey.

Arnold Wertheimer’s name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War. His photograph is displayed beside the Pool of Reflection.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Lieutenant Arnold Talbot Wertheimer, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Meleah Hampton
Historian, Military History Section