Name
Arthur Freeman
1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
08/08/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
265769
Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry
1st/1st Bucks Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 37 and 39.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Tring memorials, Not on Hemel Hempstead Memorial
Pre War
Arthur Freeman was born in 1895 to David Freeman and Helen (nee Latchford).
On the 1891 Census the family of David & Helen with William (born 1890) together with Arthur Latchford (boarder born 1872) and visitor Harry Latchford (born 1878) were living at 89, Apsley End, Hemel Hempstead.
Helen (Latchford) died on 1900. Arthur’s father married Charlotte Lamar Burridge on 2 Dec 1900.
On the 1901 Census the family of David & Charlotte, William, Bertie and Arthur were living at Old Kennel Cottages, Kings Langley, Hemel Hempstead.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Arthur, He enlisted as a Territorial Soldier in the 1st/1st Battalion of the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry as Private 2488 (later renumbered in the Territorial renumbering as 265769). He was also promoted to Corporal at some time in his service. The 1st/1st were part of South Midland Brigade , South Midland Division (T.F.) and Arthur went to France with them on 30 Mar 1915.on 15 May 1915 the Division was renumbered as 48th (South Midland) Division and 1st/1st became part of 145 Brigade.
In 1916 the Division took part in the Battles of the Somme at Albert (1-13 Jul), Bazentin (14- 17 Jul), Pozieres ( 23 Jul-3 Sep), Ancre heights (1 Oct- 11 Nov) and Ancre (13-18 Nov).
1917 following up the German retreat to their Hindenburg Line, and the Battle of 3rd Ypres (Passchendaele) at the Battle of Langemarck (16-18 Aug). Arthur was killed in action 8 Aug 1917 during duties on the Front Line preparatory to this Battle. Arthur’s remains were not recovered and he is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £14 10s and arrears of £7 4s 4d was paid to his father.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
