Arnold Wienholt (25 November 1877 – 10 September 1940) was an Australian grazier, soldier, author and politician. He was a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly and a Member of the Australian House of Representatives.
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Early life
Arnold Wienholt was born on 25 November 1877 at Goomburra, Queensland, the son of Edward Wienholt (a Member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly) and his wife Ellen (née Williams) and nephew of Arnold Wienholt Sr. He was educated in England at Wixenford School and Eton College before returning to Australia as a grazier on the Darling Downs. In 1908 he become the manager of the Wienholt Estates Company of Australiaisa Ltd and was responsible for all the firms properties in Queensland including Jondaryan Homestead and Fassifern Homestead
Second Boer War
He joined the 4th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Regiment on the 18th May 1900; and served in South Africa and was promoted to sergeant, and returned to Brisbane on the 10th August 1901 He was awarded Queen's South Africa Medal with two clasps for Orange Free State and Transvaal.
World War I
In March 1915 he elisted in the border patrol as a Special Service Trooper in the British South African Police, and served in South West Africa Campaign assisting the Portuguese in the German Campaign in Angola and was awarded Mentioned in Dispatches by Lord Buxton, the High Commissioner of South Africa. In 1916, he enlisted with the East African Mounted Rifles and involved in the advance of the British 1st Division and the Battle of Kahe. Then joined the East Africa Intelligence Department, he was promoted to Warrant Officer 1st Class. In June 1916, while leading a patrol in German East Africa, he was wounded and taken prisoner for six months until he escaped in January 1917 and marched 15 days to get back to British territory and was awarded a Military Cross.
Military Cross citation reads:
'For conspicuous gallantry and endurance as leader of a patrol. The patrol covered some 200 odd miles of the most difficult country and obtained valuable information. He was subsequently separated from his patrol, severely wounded and captured by the enemy. He ultimately escaped, and made his way back to our lines across 100 miles of unknown bush.'
After several months of hospitalisation he was back on duty in July 1917. After several contacts and German prisoners taken he was a awarded a Bar to his Military Cross.
Arnold was given a commission as a Lieutenant and commanded a group of 40 Intelligence Scouts on a six month reconnaissance mission in the Portuguese campaign in Mozambique. He was awarded a Distinguished Service Order and promoted to Captain in late 1918. He was also awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Distinguished Service Order citation reads:
‘For continuous gallant conduct and endurance under trying circumstances during a period of six months in the bush. He performed an arduous march, during which his party were attacked more than once by superior opponent forces , through the unknown country which he had to reconnoitre and report on; and finally succeeded in gaining touch with a column as ordered. He performed many other reconnaissances during which he had several encounters with the opponents, and furnished valuable information with regard to their movements. Throughout he showed great courage and endurance, and rendered valuable service’.
Politics
In 1909, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland as the member for Fassifern, where he remained until 1913. In 1919, he was elected to the Australian House of Representatives as the Nationalist member for Moreton; he was also endorsed by the Primary Producers Union, effectively the Queensland state Country Party. Although sympathetic to the Country Party, formed in 1920, he remained a Nationalist, although the Country Party often received his support. He retired in 1922. In 1930 he returned to the Queensland Legislative Assembly as the member for Fassifern, where he remained until 1935.
Personal life
In 1919, he married Enid Frances Sydney Jones they had one daughter, the artist Anne Wienholt 1920-2018
Second Italo-Ethiopian War
Wienholt become a war correspondent for the Brisbane Courier Mail in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia in 1935. He joined the Ethiopia Red Cross as transport officer and left for the front line in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War.
World War II
He worked for the British Army in 1940, as a civilian adviser, his commission as a Second Lieutenant only arrived after his death. He joined the Military Mission 101 unit in Ethiopia, part of the Gideon Force, as their Mission Intelligence Officer, he led the third Operational Centre across the border. He was killed in action in Abyssinia on 10 September 1940. Awarded 1939-1945 Star, Africa Star and War Medal.
Memorialised
He is memorialised at the Khartoum Memorial - listed on Panel 2 (final resting place unknown). the Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial Brisbane Queensland Parliament War Service Honour Board. Commemorative Roll at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. Wienholt Street in Sherwood, Brisbane, was created as an Avenue of Honour.
Published works
Wienholt, Arnold (1909), The tick trouble : with an attempted solution, A. Wienholt
Wienholt, Arnold (1922), The story of a lion hunt : with some of the hunter's military adventures during the war, Andrew Melose — available online
Wienholt, Arnold (1923), The work of a scout, Andrew Melrose
Wienholt, Arnold; Thomas Leiper Kane Collection (Library of Congress. Hebraic Section) (1938), The Africans' last stronghold in Naboth's vineyard, J. Long