BRIESE, Arthur Oswald

Arthur Oswald Briese's story is an interesting one: he was the grandson of Johann Ludwig Briese, born in Posen, Prussia, who migrated to South Australia in 1855 as part of a group of German farmers funded  by the South Australia Corporation. Johann, a blacksmith by trade, first worked in the Barossa Valley, before moving to take up land outside Albury, at Jindera, in 1866. Again, he was part of a group of German-born farmers, who wanted land and soon began producing wheat from their farms. He married another German migrant, Dorothea Bartsch. Johann's son, Theodore Ernst Briese (1875-1958) married Pauline Anna Schmidt (1876-1944). Arthur was the eldest of their six children. In 1915, he was working in East Melbourne as a scullery lad and living at 114 Hotham Street, East Melbourne. By 22 May, 1916, the date on which he enlisted, he identified himself as a labourer and his father,  now called Edward Briese, as his next-of-kin, living at 136 Powlett Street, East Melbourne. He was then 18 years and five months old, with six months experience in the Citizens Forces, and a previous four years in the Senior Cadets, at Moonee Ponds.

Arthur Briese embarked on the 'Shropshire' on 25 September 1916, disembarking two months later at Plymouth. From there, he embarked on 30 December for France on the 'Princess Clementine', landing at Etaples. By 10 February, 1917, he had joined the 59th Battalion in Belgium. He fought with the 59th until 15 October, when he was wounded in battle. He died of his wounds on 19 October, one month short of his twentieth birthday. 

Arthur Briese is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium, and on Panel 167 of the Roll of Honour in the Commemorative Area of the Australian War Memorial.