Victory Medal : Sergeant A C Hall, 54 Battalion, AIF

Victory Medal. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Arthur Charles Hall was born to Charles and Emma (née King) Hall at Granville, Sydney on 11 August 1896. Educated at All Saints' College Bathurst, Hall was working as an overseer on his father's properties near Nyngan NSW when he enlisted in the AIF, with his parents' consent, at Dubbo on 3 April 1916.

Posted as private 2631, reinforcement to 54 Battalion, Hall embarked aboard HMAT 'Ceramic' on 7 October, bound for England. He eventually joined his unit near Trones Wood, south east of Guillemont, France on 8 February 1917, in time for the Allied advance resulting from the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line later that same month. Hall was wounded in action on 30 March near Morchies and evacuated to hospital, rejoining his unit at Becourt on 21 April.

Promoted to lance corporal on 12 June and corporal in early October, Hall was evacuated to England suffering from 'trench fever' in January 1918. He did not rejoin his unit until 2 June 1918.

Over the days 1-2 September, during the battalion's operations at Peronne, Hall was involved in the actions for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. With a German string point checking the advance toward their objective on the 1st, Hall 'single handed...rushed the position, shot four of the occupants and captured nine others and two machine guns. The following day, through 'an exceptionally heavy barrage', he rescued a seriously wounded comrade.

Hall returned to Australia on 26 June 1919. Following his discharge from the AIF on 3 August he purchased Gundooee Station near Coolabah. He married Catherine Jessie Hemington Harris at Lahey's Creek on 26 April 1927. During the Second World War, Hall served in garrison battalions in NSW and QLD, ending his service as a lieutenant in November 1943.

Hall died at Nyngan on 25 February 1978 and was buried in the family cemetery at West Bogan. A deeply respected member of the community, the road leading from Coolabah to Brewarrina has been dedicated in his memory as Arthur Hall VC Way.