Arthur Thomas White (left) and Thomas Miles in Egypt. Image courtesy Cathy Laughton.
Arthur Thomas White was born in Paddington in 1881 to Alfred and Elizabeth White. Following his education Arthur trained as a schoolteacher. He settled in the Riverina district, and married Christina May Fong in Temora in 1908. When he enlisted in March 1916 Arthur was teaching at Ariah Park.
Private White embarked from Sydney in October 1916, arriving at Suez in early December. He proceeded to the 1st Light Horse Training Regiment at Moascar in Egypt, and joined the Imperial Camel Corps at Abbassia later that month. In February 1918 he was transferred to the 67th Squadron of the Australian Flying Corps.
Arthur served for the duration of the war, and managed to avoid being wounded in action. He was hospitalised on several occasions with several different medical conditions including gastritis, a mouth abscess and appendicitis.
Arthur arrived back in Australia in February 1919. He returned to Ariah Park, where he was head teacher from 1924 to 1926. In 1927 Arthur and his family relocated to Orange and he took a teaching position at Lucknow. In January 1943 he was appointed head teacher at Nashdale Public School. Arthur remained in Orange until his death in July 1950. He was survived by his wife, May, three sons and four daughters. May remained at the family home in Thomas Street until her death in 1965.
Arthur Thomas White’s grave. Image courtesy Orange Cemetery.
