Cpl. Arthur Rupert Chipper

Arthur Rupert Chipper was born in Perth, Western Australia, on 24 March 1886. His parents were Henry Charles and Emily Louisa Chipper (nee Smith) who married in Perth in 1885. Arthur was a farmer from Bullaring, near Corrigin, Australia. He became a corporal in the 10th Light Horse Regiment, A Squadron (Regimental No. 199).

He enlisted on 6 October 1914 as a Driver. He embarked with his unit from Fremantle, Western Australia, on board HMAT Mashobra on 8 February 1915. During the months of July and August 1915 Arthur lay in the 1st Australian General Hospital at the Palace Hotel at Heliopolis seriously ill with pneumonia. The illness likely saved his life, preventing him from charging to his death during the Battle of the Nek with his brother Henry Thomas Chipper who was killed in action on 7 August 1915.

Arthur returned to the war until in early 1918 he was invalided back to Australia suffering from multiple neuritis (nerve inflammation). He arrived back in Australia on 15 February 1918. Arthur married Alicia Mary Kelly (1874-1942) in Perth on 7 August 1918. After many years living at Bullaring the couple moved to a farm at Narrogin before retiring for health reasons. They had no children.

Alicia died of pneumonia on 16 April 1942 at Midland in Perth, Australia. On 28 April 1942 The West Australian reported: Heroine of Great War: Death of Mrs. A. Chipper The late Mrs. Arthur Chipper, the wife of Mr. Arthur Chipper of Bullaring, whose death took place recently, was a well known Sister in the Great War. As Sister Kelly she was decorated by King George V at Buckingham Palace with the Royal Red Cross and she also gained the Croix de Guerre and the Military Medal, which is an unusual decoration for a nurse.

Alicia's ashes were buried in the Rose Memorial in Karrakatta Cemetery, Western Australia (Site 29, Position 23) (Metropolitan Cemeteries Online). One month after Alicia's death, Arthur enlisted for service in World War II on 10 May 1942, serving with the 10th Battalion.

Arthur married Marjorie Ellen Mooney (nee Thomas), a widowed neighbour at Bullaring on 17 July 1948. Arthur was in his sixties and Marjorie was aged forty-nine. Marjorie had been born in Katanning, Western Australia, in 1899.

Arthur died, aged seventy, on 21 October 1956 and was buried in Narrogin Cemetery in Western Australia. Marjorie died on 24 April 1975. Arthur's listing in Australia's Fighting Sons of the Empire: Portraits and Biographies of Australians in the Great War records: Lance-Corporal ARTHUR RUPERT CHIPPER. Lance-Corporal Arthur Rupert Chipper (199) was born at Perth in 1889, and educated at the Christian Brothers' College, Albany. He was married to Sister Alicia Mary Kelly, M.M., R.R.C., on the 7th August, 1918. He enlisted in September, 1914, and was put through his preliminary training at Guildford with the original 10th Light Horse. He embarked on the Mashobra on the 7th February 1915, for Egypt, and after a short period of training there proceeded to Gallipoli. He remained there until the evacuation, and then made the advance into Palestine with his regiment until the battle of Gaza, when he was wounded. On his recovery he joined up again, and made the advance to within five miles of Jerusalem. After this he was taken very ill, and was sent back to Australia about the 8th March 1918.

Source: Biography of Arthur Rupert Chipper by Debbie McCauley, his second great niece http://tauranga.kete.net.nz/en/remembering_war/topics/show/2558