Arthur Gullidge was born on 9th April 1909 in Broken Hill, New South Wales. He had his first work published at the age of 17 and went on to win several national and international prizes for band composition. He was Deputy Bandmaster of Melbourne City Temple Corps and later, Bandmaster of Collingwood Corps. Amongst his most well known compositions are ‘Jubilate’ and ‘Emblem of the Army’.
In 1939 Arthur, after struggling with his Christian ethics, enlisted in the Australian Infantry Force. Other Salvationists joined with him and together, they made up the 25 strong band of the 2/22 Battalion. Their role was music making and first aid/stretcher bearers. They were a popular band, especially as Arthur had the knack of turning popular music into band marches.
In 1941 the Band went with the rest of the Battalion to the remote Pacific outpost of Rabaul. Hoowever, after Pearl Harbour, the island could not resist the Japanese and those who survived (including most of the Band) were put on the prisoner of war ship, the Montevideo Maru. On 1st July this Japanese auxiliary ship was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine USS Sturgeon, bringing about the greatest loss of life in a single instance in Australia’s wartime history. All 1,053 allied prisoners and the majority of crew perished
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| Arthur Gullidge |
In 1941 the Band went with the rest of the Battalion to the remote Pacific outpost of Rabaul. Hoowever, after Pearl Harbour, the island could not resist the Japanese and those who survived (including most of the Band) were put on the prisoner of war ship, the Montevideo Maru. On 1st July this Japanese auxiliary ship was torpedoed and sunk by the submarine USS Sturgeon, bringing about the greatest loss of life in a single instance in Australia’s wartime history. All 1,053 allied prisoners and the majority of crew perished
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