PETTY OFFICER ARTHUR ROY GIBSON PELLING 1730 RAN.
Arthur Pelling was born in Birmingham England in June 1897, the son of William and Catherine Pelling. He enlisted in the RAN as a Boy Seaman 2nd Class on the 1stof June 1912 on HMAS Tingira. Arthur was advanced to Boy 1st Class in March 1913 before joining the Light Cruiser HMAS Melbourne in May of that year. He was advanced to Ordinary Seaman 2nd Class on his 17thbirthday, to Ordinary Seaman on his 18th birthday and to Able Seaman in March 1916.
Arthur served in Melbourne until June 1916 taking part in operations in New Guinea, the West Indies and North American stations and the North Sea. In June 1916 he joined HMAS Sydney. He qualified as a Seaman Gunner not long after joining Sydney. He served in Sydney until April 1918 at which time he was repatriated to Australia to serve at HMAS Cerberus.
In 1921 Arthur re-engaged for an extra five years, serving in HMAS Anzac, Warrego, Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Platypus and Penguin. He was promoted to Leading Seaman in 1922 and to Petty Officer in 1925, despite being disrated to Able Seaman for 11 months in 1923-24. He discharged to shore “Invalided” in April 1926.
On leaving the RAN Arthur was unemployed living in Wentworth Falls on a pension until his until his death in Darlinghurst Sydney on the 27th of November 1930. He was buried in the Roman Catholic section of Rookwood cemetery.
