FARGIE, Dr Arthur James McKenzie MC (1884-1939)
Arthur James McKenzie Fargie was born at Ararat in 1884, the son of John Fargie and Louisa nee Simpson. He was educated at Geelong College and The University of Melbourne, where he graduated MB BS.
He enlisted in the AIF on 1 June 1916, as a Captain in the Australian Army Medical Corps and embarked on HMAT A33 Ayrshire on 3 July 1916. He served in France and Belgium, firstly at No 11 Australian Stationary Hospital, Rouen. He was awarded the Military Cross, gazetted 31 October 1917, the citation read:
'Whilst in charge of a Bearer Subdivision in the Zonnebeke Area, east of Ypres on 22nd October 1917, whilst the enemy consistently shelled the wagon loading post on the Ypres-Zonnebeke Road, Captain Fargie took up a position without any protection in the centre of this dangerous region and attended to all casualties en route from the front line and personally dressed the very many local casualties which occurred amongst the batteries and working parties in the vicinity. Captain Fargie’s devotion to duty during exceedingly heavy shell fire, evidently attracted by the batteries surrounding his post, was a great stimulus to his personnel and much facilitated the despatch of casualties. He again performed similar excellent work at the same place during the whole of the 23rd October 1917.'
He was evacuated sick on 9 November 1917, and later was on duty at Hurdcott and Sutton Veny until the Armistice, being Mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s Despatches, gazetted on 28 May 1918. He was demobilised on 14 July 1919.
Dr Arthur Fargie died at Epworth Hospital, Richmond, Victoria on 20 January 1939.
Sources: Based on an edited extract from Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck. pp.188-9 (citing The University of Melbourne: Record of Active Service of Teachers, Graduates, Undergraduates, Officers and Servants (1926); Australian War Memorial; Pegasus; National Archives of Australia).