SX16222 Private Arthur Egbert LUSH
Arthur Egbert LUSH was born at Yankalilla on 6 November 1914,the fourth child of John Harry LUSH and Carrie Francis LUSH (nee Douglas). His father (2636 Sapper J.H. LUSH) had served on the Western Front with the 5th Pioneer Battalion during World War One. Arthur was a butcher at Victor Harbor and married to Lydia when he enlisted in the 2nd Australian Imperial Force at Wayville on 10 January 1942. His older brother, Douglas had earlier enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force on 11 June 1940, serving as ground crew.
After basic training Arthur was posted to the 23rd Brigade Company, Australian Army Service Corps, in the Darwin area of Northern Territory. This Corps was responsible for the movement and distribution of military supplies and transport of materiel and troops. With it being harvest time, Arthur was almost immediately granted 21 days leave without pay (LWOP) after enlistment, to help meet the severe shortage of labour in the rural sector due to so many country men being in the Armed Forces. This manpower shortage was alleviated by the practice of granting seasonal leave without pay, where members could be spared, for peak rural work. It was the first of many such leave periods he would be granted. He reached the Northern Territory on 11 March 1942, after only receiving a few days military training, and was transferred to the 3rd Brigade Company AASC.
On 8 August 1942, Arthur returned to South Australia initially for 104 days LWOP which was extended by a further 57 days of Seasonal Leave to 18 January 1943; this delayed his return to the Northern Territory until 1 February 1943. In April, Arthur was transferred to the AASC in New South Wales. After completing a three-week Cooking and Catering course in June, he was transferred to the Australian Army Catering Corps as a Specialist Group II Cook but still was required to complete work experience.
On 20 September 1943, Arthur was admitted to the 18th Army Camp Hospital at Narellan (NSW); this was followed by seven days compassionate leave then home leave until 25 October 1943. In late December 1943, he was admitted to the 115th Army General Hospital at hospital at Heidelberg (Vic) suffering from dermatitis. Transferred to the 108th Army General Hospital (Ballarat) and then to Northfield Hospital, Adelaide, Arthur underwent medical assessment and was subsequently downgraded on 24 January 1944 as being unfit for service in a tropical area.
Arthur would remain in South Australia for the remainder of his military service. Apart from several short visits to hospital he was granted a further 99 days seasonal leave without pay. He was awarded an early discharge from service prior to the end of the war under provision that allowed servicemen and women to return to the agricultural industry with his discharge taking effect on 12 July 1945.
Arthur is commemorated on the Waitpinga Pictorial Honour Roll Board. Unfortunately we know little about Arthur’s life post-war.
References:
Service file of SX16222 Arthur Egbert LUSH purchased from the National Archives of Australia ( www.naa.gov.au ), and made possible by a grant from the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. The grant also made possible the scanning of the photographs featured on the Waitpinga Pictorial Honour Roll Boards No 1 and No 2, along with the digital restoration of a number of the images of servicemen and women featured on the Waitpinga Pictorial Honour Roll Board No 3.
Australian War Memorial database ( www.awm.gov.au ).
Compiled by the Victor Harbor RSL History Research Team, February 2013.