 East Surreys |
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East Surreys |
Labour Corps |
Taken, Not Given
Pte.
Walter Arthur
10th [sic] East Surrey Regt
Rouen
April 9 1919Taken, Not Given, Liam Sumption, L&DLHS
Both the actual War Memorial inscription and that on the Memorial table [sic] in the Parish Church of St Mary and Saint Nicholas, Leatherhead, carry the details above.
However neither the list of men who died in the 1914-19 War belonging to the East Surreys, or their sister Regiment, the Queens, mention Walter Arthur. (1)
Scrutiny of the lists of those buried at Le Tréport, where those who died in Rouen would have been laid to rest also failed to identify his name. (2)
Another ingredient in the mystery is that the 10th Bn East Surreys never served overseas.
Unfortunately the War Memorial is often inaccurate both as regards regiment or corps and date of mortality. Usually the parish magazine is a safe guide. The Parish magazine issue of December 1914, lists a W. Arthur as serving, under the heading "New Army". This is repeated in the May 1915 issue. No corps or regiment is mentioned, which is unusual.
However, a later issue places W. Arthur as serving with the 2nd Battalion Queens though of course, as previously mentioned, he never served with them. A clue may be provided by a later issue which places a W. Arthur as being with the Royal Engineers. (3)
Another reason for disregarding the Queens is that they though the 1st Battalion transited through the Rouen area in early 1919, before returning home, no reference is made to any deaths in the War Diary.
The reported death in Rouen would seem to suggest either death attributable attributable to wounds or illness.
The solution to the problem might be in the Royal Engineers connection which will be discussed shortly. The parish magazine listings suggest a degree of uncertainty about Walter Arthur. In other words, his background was not fully known locally.
Now the list of the Royal Engineers' dead contains the following entry, this is the possible R.E. connection:
Driver W. J. Arthur
D.O.W on 23 May 1917
Born Dorking
Enlisted Swindon. Serving with 503 Field Company, Royal Engineers (4)
He had died of wounds, was born in Dorking, close enough to have a connection with Leatherhead, and enlisted at Swindon, remote enough to hinder the gathering of correct details.
This is very tenuous evidence but the best the writer can suggest.
Notes on sources
1. Lists of Queens East Surrey - Soldiers Died in Great War – Records of the Queens Regiment, Clandon Park, Surrey
2. War Grave Registers, Imperial War Graves Commission – Imperial War Museum Lambeth
3. Parish magazine of St Mary and Saint Nicolas Leatherhead’ - issues of December 1914 and May 1915
4. Soldiers Died in Great War – Royal Engineers - Imperial War Museum Lambeth
Further research
The CWGC entry clarifies why Liam Sumption found it hard to track down Walter Arthur:
Private
ARTHUR, W
Service Number 2231
Died 09/04/1919
1st Bn. East Surrey Regiment
transf. to (608864) 903rd Area Supply Coy. ç
Buried at ST. SEVER CEMETERY EXTENSION, ROUEN
Location: Seine-Maritime, France
Cemetery/memorial reference: S. IV. K. 13.
The East Surrey Regiment 1st Battalion Rank and File Index 1916-1919 can be viewed via the Surrey History Centre website.
It lists a W Arthur, but as William. However the Regimental number 2231 is that of Walter Arthur:
Surname: Arthur
Initial: W
First names: William
Rank: Pte
Regimental number 2231
Company: 2
Date joined Battalion: 14 May 1918
reference: ESR/2/3/29-30
In the UK WWI Pension Ledgers and Index Cards, 1914-1923 the entry for 608864 Walter Arthur refers to Next of Kin being Walter Arthur and Alma Barrett.
The UK Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects, 1901-1929 record for him states he died on 9 April 1919 at 6 General Hospital, France, which was in the Rouen area. The date of Walter's death might of course suggest that he, like many who survived WW1, fell victim to the flu pandemic of 1918-19.
His life
Walter Arthur was born in the parish of Ashtead, Surrey on 30 January 1882 and was baptised on 10 February 1882 at St Giles', Ashtead.
His father was George Arthur (1844-1921) and his mother was Mary née Venn (1851-1910). Both were from Ashtead
In the 1891 Census Walter's family were at Glebe Road, Ashtead. He was aged 9. His father George 46, mother Mary 38 and siblings William Henry 17, Annie 11, Jessie 9, John 7, Alice 5 and Agnes 2 were also listed.
In the 1911 Census Walter Arthur, aged 30, born in Ashtead, was listed at Evergreens, Fairfield Rd, Leatherhead, Surrey, the home of the Lee family. His sister Alice, 26, was married to the head of the household, Ernest Edward Lee, 36, a Builder's Labourer and they had two children, Albert Edward John and Alice Mary Rose.
Walter was a Coal Carter. Also listed was his widowed father George (66, a Council Labourer); John James Arthur (28, a Farm Labourer) and Michael Arthur (19, a Grocery Assistant) were also listed.
Linksthe website editor would like to add further information on this casualty
e.g. a photo of him, his headstone, and of any recollections within his familylast updated 20 Feb 18: 28 May 20