Arthur Webley was born in 1890 in Pahiatua. His parents were David and Mary Webley, and he had two older brothers named Harold and Stanley.

While he was a child Arthur lived in Petone, where his parents owned Webley & Co Grocers and Drapers on Jackson Street.

As a young adult Arthur was a farmer in Reikorangi (by Waikanae) and served in the Army reserve.

Arthur chose to enlist to serve in WWI. He served in 1st Battalion New Zealand Rifle Brigade as a Rifleman. He left New Zealand on the vessel Ulimaroa on 26 July 1917, arriving in England on 24 September 1917. Just seventy-four days later, on 7 December 1917, Arthur was killed in action.

Arthur was killed in Unchained Trench and buried nearby in Polygon Wood, Flanders, Belgium. It is unusual that he has a known grave, as most of the soldiers killed in that battle do not.  {Mark Brewer, Nov 2020}