Melbourne born Arthur Sweetapple was prominent ‘soccerite’ in Perth. He moved to Perth with his parents and started playing soccer at school. As a 16 year old he first appeared for Ex-Students and remained with them for three seaons until they disbanded. He then became an important player for Rangers United where his good form was recognised with his selection in the ‘Australian’ team to play ‘Scotland’ a few months before his enlistement in 1914 in the 10th Light Horse.
On 17 October 1915 Perth’s Sunday Times reported on Sweetapple’s narrow escape at Gallipoli:
A soldier of the 10th Light Horse who came through the terrible August fighting unscathed is Sergeant (now Lieutenant) Arthur H. Sweetapple, who, before the war, was in the office of the Midland Railway Company. But he has had some very narrow escapes. On one occasion a bomb fell on his head, but did not explode. Ten minutes before another bomb burst 5ft. away. Mr. Sweetapple, who is only 23, received promotion on August 10. He has been in the trenches since May 10. During the week his young wife, who resides at ‘Myola,’ Mount Lawley, received a cablegram to the effect that he was in perfect health.
After Gallipoli he spent his war service in the Middle East. During that time he earned successive promotions to attain the rank of Captain. His actions also earned him a Mention In Despatches. However, the toil of war in a difficult environment saw his health deteriorate. At the start of 1916 he was hospitalised with influenza. In September 1918, after spending two months in hospital, he was declared unfit to carry out his duties as an officer due to ‘debilty’ (loss of appetite, sleeplessness, weakness, facial neuralgia) and invalided back to Australia.
Upon his return Captain Sweetapple devoted his energies in the office of Honorary Secretary of the 10th Light Horse Association. Before embarking for war he married Violet Dillon. Upon his return they had two children. In 1934 Violet passed away and Arthur married for the second time, to Kathleen Hooker. Arthur Sweetapple died in Nedlands, WA, on 6 October 1949 at the age of 57.