Peterborough & The Great War

Biography

Arthur was born and raised at Number 5 Row 36, Howard Street, Great Yarmouth.  The Rows were a series of houses with narrow alleys separating them that ran off the three main roads through Great Yarmouth. http://bit.ly/2k7TSVz.  His parents, Charles Henry, a shipsmith, and Edith Matilda (nee Miller) had four children, Charles (1887), Arthur (1892), Maud (1897) and Gladys (1901).  In 1911, all the family were living together and Arthur (18) was a bricklayer’s labourer.

We have not found Arthur’s service record so his military career is not fully detailed.  He joined the Lincolnshire Regiment and in the summer of 1915, he landed in France with the 7^th Battalion.  At some point after this he transferred to the Machine Gun Corps and on 1 July 1916, he was wounded at Albert, (Somme), receiving a gunshot wound to his right arm.  After treatment in a field hospital he returned to the UK on a hospital ship from Calais on 5 July 1916.

Arthur passed through Peterborough East Station and signed the visitors’ book on 14 September 1917.  He was discharged on 1 April 1919, and was awarded the British War and Allied Victory Medals and 15 Star.

Returning to Great Yarmouth and the family home in The Rows, he lived with his parents until 1925 when he married Elsie May Hunn.  They had two sons, Roy (1927) and Brian (1935).  After a couple of local moves the family settled at 54 St Georges Road in 1928.  Our last trace of them is at the same address in 1930, but we cannot find them in the 1939 Register.

Arthur died on 21 October 1972, aged 82.  He was living at 74 Nelson Road Central, Great Yarmouth.  We believe that Elsie died in Acle, Norfolk in 1961.  No children have been traced.

Do you recognise the name – please get in touch if you can tell us more.