Name
Arthur John Titmuss
18 June 1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/08/1916
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
14215
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PHILOSOPHE BRITISH CEMETERY, MAZINGARBE
I. J. 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Saviour's Church War Memorial, Radcliffe Rd. Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, St Katherine’s Church Memorial, Ickleford, St. Peter’s Church Memorial, Holwell, We are not aware of any memorial in Cadwell
Pre War
Arthur John Titmuss was born in Cadwell, Holwell, Herts on 18 June 1893, the son of James Lewis (Louis) and Martha Ann Titmuss, and baptised at Ickleford, Herts on 30 July 1893. He was one of fifteen children, although five had died by 1911.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Cadwell where his father was working as a Bricklayer's Labourer. They remained in Cadwell in 1911 at which time Arthur was working as a coach painter.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hitchin and joined the 6th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment, was given the Regimental Number 14215 and served in France from 17 August 1915.
They saw action in July 1916, at the Battle of Bazentin Ridge (Battle of the Somme).
The 6th Battalion arrived in Mazingarbe on the 24th August 1916 and went into trenches in the Loos Salient the following day as part of the 37th Division.
Arthur was killed in action on 26 August 1916, aged 23, and is buried in the Philosophe British Cemetery, Mazingarbe, France, next to the grave of Bert Watson from Charlton, Nr Hitchin who died the same day and also served with the 6th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £9 and pay owing of £4 12s 3d. She also received a pension of 4 shillings a week rising to 5 shillings a week.
Brother to Lewis (Louis) Titmuss who served with the Essex Regiment and died on 20 September 1917. Brother in law to Frederick Underwood who served with the Bedfordshire Regiment and died in 1916.
N.B. The website www.bedfordregiment.org.uk has several photos of the 6th Battalion, taken in the final stages of training and before being sent to the Western Front.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Dunne, Tony James, David C Baines, Brenda Palmer, Jonty Wild, www.bedfordregiment.org.uk
