Sergeant Arthur Thomas Lort MORTIMER
29 Dec 1920 – 3 Jul 1941
Arthur Thomas Lort MORTIMER was born in Waikerie on December 29, 1920 to Henry James Mortimer and Eliza Maud Mortimer, of Waikerie. Arthur completed his schooling gaining his intermediate certificate in 1939, after schooling at Morgan and Waikerie. He became an Assistant Storeman at the Waikerie Co-op Fruit Company.
On enlistment Arthur was 19 and a half years old. He was 6’ tall, had a fresh complexion and fair hair and blue eyes.
Arthur advised that he had been trained as a Glider Pilot at the Waikerie airfield prior to his enlistment. (He had actually been the Secretary of the Waikerie Gliding Club). He joined the RAAF Reserve and on 3rd of June 1940 he was called up for enlistment. On the 24th of June, 1940, Arthur completed his attestation in ADELAIDE and at 19 years of age joined the Royal Australian Air Force.
After completing his training, Arthur embarked from Sydney for the Middle East on April 9th, 1941. Arriving for duty on the 5th of May 1941. He commenced active service with a posting of the 250th Squadron of the Royal Air Force in Libya, arriving as they were issued with the brand new Tomahawk fighter bomber aircraft.
As Arthur was on return from an air battle on 3-7-1941, his aircraft crashed in the desert about 40 miles south of Algeria. Witnesses stated his plane ‘span in” to the ground. Arthur was killed instantly, one year and one month after his call up.
For his service Arthur MORTIMER had earned; the 1939-45 Star, the Africa Star and the War medal. These were later delivered to his family who were also issued a memorial scroll. A tree was dedicated to Arthurs sacrifice at both the Devlin Pound and Holder Schools in December 1941.
Arthur MORTIMER is interred in the El Alamein War Memorial Cemetery and is commemorated on the Australian War Memorial on the Roll of Honour.
MORTIMER Street is named after him. Arthur is also commemorated with a tree and plaque here in the WAIKERIE War Memorial Gardens.
