Name
Arthur Franklin
1886
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/03/1918
36
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
37780
Suffolk Regiment
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 4
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
Arthur was born in 1886 in Hitchin and was christened there on 29 September 1886. His parents were George and Sarah Franklin of 12, Telegraph Terrace, Hitchin.
In 1891 the family were living at 3 St Andrews Place, Hitchin. Present were both parents: George (26) and Sarah (26), with George and working as a railway labourer. Their only child was Arthur (4).
In 1901 the family were at the same address. Both parents were present with George working as a Navvy for the Great Northern Railway, and Arthur now had siblings: George (9), John (7), Percy (4) and Rose (1). Also present was a mother-in-law, Rachel Grimes (70).
By 1911 the family gad moved to 12 Telegraph Terrace, Hitchin. Present were both parents, George now working as a railway labourer for the Great Northern Railway. The census recorded they had been married for 26 years with 7 children of whom 2 had died. All the children listed above were present with, Arthur, now 24, working as a bricklayer for the Great Northern Railway.
Officially Arthur was recorded as born and enlisting in Hitchin.
Wartime Service
Arthur was allocated Regimental Number 37780 in the 11th Battalion of the Suffolks, which was in the 101st Brigade of the 34th Division in VI Corps of the 3rd Army. At the beginning of his service he had been in the Middlesex Regiment with the Regimental Number 37999. He was killed in action in France.
He was first reported missing on 21 March 1918 – his pension records recorded wounded and missing, and enquiries were made of the British Red Cross by his mother in early October 1918, while she was at 12 Telegraph Terrace, Hitchin, over six months after the date that his death was eventually presumed.
His death coincided with the Battle of St. Quentin when his Battalion was in position on Henin Hill near St. Leger and was subjected to violent enemy attacks all day.
He has no known grave, but is remembered on Bay 4 of the Arras Memorial to the Missing in France.
Additional Information
It is interesting to note that documents given the date he was reported missing as the 20 March 1918, but his pension records and the CWGC gives the date of death as the 22nd.
After his death £18 0s 7d was authorised to go to his father, George on 16 September 1919. This sum included a war gratuity of £8 10s.
His pension cards record Sarah Franklin, his mother, as his next of dependant, living at 12 Telegraph Terrace, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 6s 6d a week from 19 November 1918.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild, Lives of the First World War
