Trailblazer in transport sector
ARTHUR BATTLE
THE North Queensland trucking community is mourning the loss of an industry giant whose pioneering business decisions set him apart.
Arthur Battle, 98, was a trailblazer of the transport industry with a career shared with his late wife
Eileen spanning more than 60 years.
Mr Battle’s grandson Kent said his grandfather had been heartbroken and lonely since the passing of his wife in January.
The couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary late last year.
It’s understood Mr Battle died peacefully on Saturday morning after lying down for a rest.
“He genuinely thought he was going to see her and they would be reunited,” Kent said.
“He had liver cancer and when Nana passed away he gave up. It was just loneliness.
“I really didn’t want to say goodbye so we just talked about trucks and I told him I’d see him later but he almost looked better than he was a couple of weeks ago and just completely peaceful.”
The proud grandson said Mr Battle’s wife and family were the most important things to him and he instilled those same qualities in the generations that followed.
“They just did absolutely everything together, from going to shops and getting the mail together. He was always very strong except with Nana – she ruled the roost,” Kent said.
“He was extremely caring and family proud and that’s been passed down to my dad and so am I.”
Kent said he learnt invaluable business lessons from Mr Battle, who was inducted into the National Road Transport Hall of Fame alongside his wife in 2007.
“It’s very easy to just exist in this industry but he always seemed to take risks and push the envelope,” he said.
“He got a B-double permit here in 1984 and had tri-drive in the late ’70s when no one was really doing that sort of stuff.
“They were both extremely savvy businesspeople when they needed to be but also extremely generous on