WILSON, ARTHUR
Photograph with kind permission from the Uttoxeter Advertiser
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Source |
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CWGC |
SDGW |
Uttoxeter Advertiser |
Other |
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Parents |
John and Ellen Wilson |
Yes |
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Where born |
Leek, Staffordshire |
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Yes |
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3 |
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When born |
About 1878 |
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2 |
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Address |
33, Manor Road (wife) |
Yes |
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Leek, Staffs (parents) |
Yes |
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33 Church Street (self) |
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4c |
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Church Street (self) |
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4b |
3 |
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Spouse |
Clara Wilson |
Yes |
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Children |
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Employment Before Joining up |
Uttoxeter Post Office |
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4a, 4b, 4d |
3 |
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Where enlisted |
Uttoxeter, Staffordshire |
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Yes |
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3 |
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Regiment |
North Staffordshire (Prince of Wales’s)( |
Yes |
Yes |
4d |
3 |
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Unit |
8th Bn. |
Yes |
Yes |
4d |
3 |
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8th (S) Bn. |
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3 |
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‘A’ Company |
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4d |
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Rank |
Regimental Serjeant Major |
Yes |
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4a, 4b, 4c |
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Acting Regimental Serjeant Major |
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Yes |
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3 |
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Service Number |
9724 |
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3 |
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9274 |
Yes |
Yes |
4d |
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Date of Death |
Missing 18 November 1916 |
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Roll of Honour |
3 |
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19 November 1916 |
Yes |
Yes |
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3 |
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Age at time of death |
38 |
Yes |
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Where Killed or died |
France/Flanders |
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Yes |
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Somme - Grandcourt |
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How he died |
Killed in Action |
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Yes |
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3 |
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Location of Grave or Memorial |
Connaught Cemetery, Thiepval - Grave VIII. A. 2. |
Yes |
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1 |
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Uttoxeter Town War Memorial (Market Place) |
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1, 3 |
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Awards |
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Before the war, Arthur Wilson was employed at the Uttoxeter Post Office and took a great deal of interest in ambulance work in the town[4b].
He was an old soldier, having been through the South African War[3, 4a], and rejoined the army in about June of 1914[4a]. He was therefore one of the ‘Old Contemptibles’.
In June 1916, after about two years in the army[3, 4a] and nearly 12 months at the front[3, 4a], he was promoted to Regimental Sergeant Major[3, 4a].
On one occasion he had a narrow escape when a Jack Johnson (large shell) burst close to the HQ staff quarters, to which he was attached[4a].
He was reported as missing in December 1916 and he was not officially reported killed until September 1917.
Shortly after he went missing, his orderly wrote to his wife to tell her that he had taken part in some fighting on the 18th of November and there was a hope that he had been taken prisoner[4b].
His family contacted the Red Cross Order of St. John to see if they could find out what had happened to him, but it was not until January 1919 that they were able to supply an answer: Their letter was quoted in the Uttoxeter Advertiser[4d]:
“It is many months, as you know, since we last wrote to you, and we were grieved to note in October 1917 that your husband’s death was officially notified. I think you will wish to have some details which have just reached us from a returned prisoner of war, Pte. James Roberts, 40529, 8th North Staffords, D Company (home address, 58, Brick Kiln-Lane, Basford, Stoke-on-Trent) says:
‘I saw him killed at Grandcourt November 18, 1916. He was shot on the right side of the jaw and killed instantly. He never spoke. His revolver fell from his hand right at my feet. I was taken prisoner an hour afterwards and left his body there on the top of the shell-hole.’
“It will be some comfort to you to realise that your husband’s death must have been unattended with any suffering. With sincere sympathy, etc”.
Arthur is buried in Grave VIII. A. 2. of Connaught Cemetery, Thiepval:
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| Above: Arthur’s grave can be seen in the front row, second from the left. | |
