Name
Arthur Henry Davey
1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
16/03/1917
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
12254
Bedfordshire Regiment
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TRING CEMETERY
F. 30.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Tring Town Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Tring
Pre War
Arthur Henry Davey was born in 1894 in Tring, Herts, the son of Charles and Elizabeth Davey (nee Timms).
According to the Bucks Herald newspaper "he was an enthusiastic member of the Church Lads' Brigade and for five and a half years he was in the employ of the Rev. H. Francis (vicar), later being employed on the Tring Park Estate. He was held in the highest esteem and respect by all with whom he came in contact. As a member of the local bell-ringers he rendered good service."
On the 1901 Census he was living with his widowed mother. His mother was working as a charwoman and William was working as a farm labourer.
By 1911 he had moved in with his widowed uncle Henry Admans at 34 Frogmore Street, Tring he was aged 16 and working as a houseboy (domestic). He gave his occupation as a gardener on enlistment.
Wartime Service
Arthur enlisted in Bedford on 20 August 1914 and was posted to the 6th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment and was said to have been "a drummer and a very smart soldier" in the local Parish Magazine.
He was sent to France on 30 July 1915 but suffered a gunshot wound to the spine on 15 July 1916 during the Battle of Bazentin Ridge (Battle of Pozieres). Upon repatriation to England he was sent to King George's Hospital, London where it was found impossible to remove a piece of shrapnel from his spine and he became paralysed. He remained there for eight months until his death on 16 March 1917, having been discharged on 1 March 1917 as no longer physically fit for war service.
His body was returned home and he is buried in Tring Cemetery, Herts.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £11 10s and pay owing of £1 4s 6d. She also received a pension of 4 shillings a week.
It was reported in the Parish Magazine that he was "granted a Military funeral and Colonel Orlebar, in command of the Bedfords at Halton Camp, gave instructions for a guard of honour, a Bugler and firing party from the Bedfords to attend. A muffled peal was rung by his old comrades of the belfry, when his body was borne into the church".
His brother William Davey was killed in action on 11 July 1916 at Trones Wood during the Battle of the Somme. He is buried Quarry Cemetery, Montauban, France.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, tringlocalhistory.org.uk,
