Arnold Potts Statue

Public Art : Arnold Potts Statue

Sculptor: © Greg James

Description: The life-sized bronze statue is mounted on a boulder of Kojonup granite and features Brigadier Potts in his summer army uniform, surveying the lie of the land, facing towards his beloved farm, Barrule.

Date Unveiled: The Arnold Potts statue was unveiled on 6th of May 2007 in front of over 2,000 people.

Inscription :

Brigadier Arnold William Potts
DSQ, OBE, MC
Born Isle of Man 1896 - Died Kojonup 1968

WWI- Gllipoli, France
WWII - Syria, Papua, Bougainville

Courage- Faith- Integrity- Compassion

Warrior of Kokoda

This statue was officially unveiled by
His Excellency Major General Micheal Jeffery AC,CVO MC (Reid)
Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia

6th May 2007

Who Was Arnold Potts? : Arnold Potts (16th September 1896 – 1st January 1968) was arguably one of the greatest military leaders Australia has ever produced but sadly history largely ignored him thanks to his dismissal by General Sir Thomas Blamey.
Born in 1896 on the Isle of Man, Arnold and his family emigrated to Perth, Western Australia when he was 8.Following the outbreak of World War I, Potts requested to join the First Australian Imperial Force and was quickly promoted to sergeant.

In July 1915 the 18 year old was posted as a reinforcement to 16th Battalion at Gallipoli and participated in the Battles of Chunuk Bair and Aghyl Dere. He was later promoted to second lieutenant and then transferred to the Western Front. During this time he was promoted to lieutenant and awarded the Military Cross for gallantry during the Battle of Mouquet Farm.
As the war was coming to a close Potts was transferred back to the 16th Battalion as Captain. On the 6th of July 1918 he took a bullet to the chest, barely surviving.
Potts returned to Western Australia and became a jackaroo for several months before purchasing a property just west of Kojonup.

In 1926 he married Dorreen Wigglesworth and had three children. Sadly, in 1939 war came a knocking once more and Arnold quickly joined the Citizen Military Forces. He soon found himself in the Middle East where he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his leadership role in Battle of the Litani River.

In 1942 Potts was promoted to brigadier and given the command of 21st Brigade stationed in Queensland. In the mean time the Japanese were strategically establishing themselves in New Guinea. Potts knew it would be only a matter of time before his men would be fighting in the jungles of New Guinea so he devised and implemented a jungle training regime for the Australian troops.

Trivia : The commitee raised twice as much money as required to construct the statue and the Arnold Potts memorial.

It took Fremantle sculptor Greg James and his team 12 month to complete the statue.

Arnold Potts statue, Kojonup, public art