Name
Arthur Charles Tomlin
1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/07/1917
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
266199
Hertfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DOZINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY
I. C. 6.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, 4 Co' Hertfordshire Reg' Territorials’ Memorial, Hitchin, Tilehouse St Baptist Church War Memorial, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, Hertfordshire Regimental Memorial, All Saints Church, Hertford
Pre War
Arthur was born in 1895 in Hitchin and christened on 31 Jul 1895 in St. Marys, Hitchin. His parents were James and Rosa Tomlin (née Mead). Who had married in Hitchin in 1887.
In 1901 the family were living at 11 Russells Slip, Hitchin. Present were both parents: James (35) and Rosa (36), with James and working as a bricklayer. Their children were George (13), Annie (12), Alice (10), Mable (8), Arthur Charles (6), Florence (4) and Percy at 9 months.
Rosa died in 1907.
By 1911 James was recorded as a widower, and still living at 11 Russells Slip, where he remained. Of the children, George was absent, but the others were present, with Arthur, now 15 and working in an embroidery workshop, as was Mabel. Florence was listed as Florrie and two new siblings were present: Frederick (7) and Francis (5).
Having enlisted Arthur was medically examined on 30 November 1914. He was 19 years and 6 months and described as 5’ 4” with a 32 ½” chest when fully expanded. He was considered fit for service.
Arthur worked for P.H. Barker & Son the timber merchants and joiners of Bancroft, Hitchin before he enlisted.
Information supplied to the Army by his father on 14 October 1919, confirmed that his mother had died, his father was still living at 11 Russells Slip. His full siblings were brothers George (32), Percy (19), Frederick (16), Francis (14) and sisters Annie (30), Alice (28) and Mable (26).
Percy was probably serving in the Army as he was recorded as in Germany,
Officially he was recorded as living in Hitchin when he enlisted in Hertford.
Wartime Service
He served in No. 4 Company of the Regiment with the Regimental Number 4141 and was later re-numbered to 266199. The Regiment was in the 118th Brigade of the 39th Division.
He embarked from Southampton on 16 August 1915 and arrived in France the following day
and did not join his Battalion in the field until 3 November 1915.
In October he was at No, 1 Base in Rouen and was given 7 days Field Punishment No. 1 for hesitating to obey an order. On 11 April 1916 he was granted 7 days leave to England.
He was probably renumbered to 266199 in early 1917 when soldiers who had enlisted in, or were serving in, a Territorial Force regiment were issued with a new, six-digit service number. This was largely related to the huge increase in the numbers of men serving in the infantry regiments and the need to avoid confusion.
He was gassed on 13 July 1917 and was first admitted to 133 Field Ambulance and then to 47 Casualty Clearing Station where he died of the effects of gas poisoning.
He was buried in Plot l, Row C, Grave 6 in Dozinghem Military Cemetery in Westvleteren in Belgium. There were a number of Casualty Clearing Stations in the vicinity.
Additional Information
After his death £5 3s 10d pay owing was authorised to go to his father on 12 December 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £12 was authorised to be paid to him on 11 November 1919.
His pension cards record his sister Miss Mabel Tomlin as his next of kin, living at 11 Russells Slip, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 6s a week from 15 January 1918.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
