Brigadier Arthur Seaforth Blackburn VC CMG CBE

ATTENDED PULTENEY STREET SCHOOL 1903 - 1905

Arthur was born on 25 November 1892. While at Pulteney he was awarded the Form IVB prize for Scripture in 1905. He later attended St Peter’s College and the University of Adelaide where he studied law. He was admitted to the bar in 1913.

In 1914 he joined the 10th Battalion AIF as a private. He landed at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915 and with another soldier is said to have penetrated further inland than any other Australian soldier during the campaign. After arriving in France he was promoted to Lieutenant. At Pozières on July 23, he personally led four successive bombing parties, which destroyed an enemy strong point and captured nearly 350 metres of trench. He was awarded the Victoria Cross ‘for most conspicuous bravery’ at Pozières in 1916. In 1917 he married Rose Ada Kelly and was discharged from the AIF on medical grounds.

He continued his legal career in Adelaide, and became the Member for Sturt in the House of Assembly 1918-1921 and in 1933 was appointed City Coroner. He was a founding member of the RSL in South Australia and its president from 1917 to 1921.

After serving in the militia he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel. He ceased legal practice in 1940 and took command of a motorized cavalry regiment, the 18th Light Horse (Machine Gun) Regiment. He was then appointed to command 2/3rd Machine gun Battalion that fought under his command in Syria and against the Vichy French. As the most senior officer present, he accepted the surrender of Damascus. In 1942 he was appointed to command the AIF in South West Pacific area as Brigadier. He commanded “Black Force” to assist the Dutch against the Japanese. He was taken prisoner by the Japanese in Java in 1942 after the allied forces surrendered. He remained a prisoner of war until 1945.

In 1946 he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his distinguished service in Java and was discharged in 1946. From 1947 to 1955 he served as a Conciliation Commissioner on the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration and again as State President of the RSL from 1946 to 1949. In 1955 he was appointed Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George for his services to the community. He died in Crafers on 24 November 1960, one day short of his 68th birthday.