Daniel Sidney Aarons, MC and Bar, Captain, 16 Battalion, was born on 1 August 1885 in Donald, Victoria. His parents, Solomon and Annie, lived at Orange, NSW. Captain Aarons was a business manager with Vacuum Oil in Fremantle. After enlisting in the A. I. F. in 1915, he served in Egypt, France and Belgium. He was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in October 1915, rising to Captain in July 1917. He was awarded the Military Cross for his work during the Hindenburg line operations on the Riencourt front in April 1917. In Belgium in October of 1917 he suffered gunshot wounds to his right arm, legs and back and was sent to hospital in London, rejoining 16 Battalion in December. In letters to his sister in South Australia, he described the 8 August 1918 offensive in the Battle of Amiens, France, and the follow up actions later that month.
On discharge, he travelled to New York, the headquarters of the Vacuum Oil Company, and worked with the Company again in Australia after he returned in 1920. In 1924, he was an executive in Melbourne and by the mid 1930’s he was General Manager of Vacuum Oil in NSW. He held this position until he retired in 1945. He was awarded an OBE for his public service in 1966 and in June 1970 he became a Knight Bachelor for his work as Treasurer of the Liberal Party of NSW.
His wife, Jessie, died in 1952 and Daniel died on 23 June 1983, aged 97.
Daniel’s older brother, John Fullerton Aarons, served in 51 Battalion and later also in 16 Battalion. John Aarons died of wounds in July 1917.