Name
ARTHUR HEARN
23/08/1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/07/1916
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
9390
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no Headstone. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the missing on the Somme, France.
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Cheshunt Memorials, Not on the Waltham Cross Memorials
Pre War
Arthur HEARN was born in Waltham Cross/Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, on 23rd
August 1885, son of William Hearn, a Gas Stocker and Alice Hearn (nee Hammond).
One of four children.
William and Alice were married in August 1881, in the Parish
of Cheshunt, Herts.
His mother Alice passed away in 1888, aged 29.
His father William remarried in 1889 to Flora Hammond the
younger sister Alice, they went on to have one son James born in 1891.
1891 Census records Arthur aged 5, at school, living with his
father, stepmother Flora, Brothers Albert (9), Thomas (4), sister Annie (7) and
half-brother James (4 months), in Windmill Lane, Cheshunt, Herts.
Arthur attended St Mary’s Infants School with his sister
Annie and brother Thomas.
1901 Census, Arthur aged 15 has left school and is work as
an Errand Boy for a General Store, living with his farther, stepmother, brother
Thomas(13), and half-brother James (10), at 87 Eleanor Road, Waltham Cross/Cheshunt, Herts.
Arthur enlisted at Bedford, in the Bedfordshire Regiment
(his service number indicates he enlisted in late 1908, early 1909), issued
with the service number 9390.
1911 Census records Arthur, as single, a Private with “F”
Company, 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, stationed in Bermuda.
In 1914 Arthur was stationed with his Battalion at Roberts
Heights, near Pretoria in South Africa.
His father William passed away in the early part of 1917,
aged 56.
Wartime Service
When war was declared, Arthur and his Battalion were
recalled to England, arriving at Southampton on 19th September 1914.
The Battalion was re-kitted for a European war. Sailing from Southampton on 5th
October 1914, aboard the S.S. Winifredian, stopping off at Dover for supplies
they landed at Zeebrugge, Belgium, on 7th October 1914, to assist in
the defence of Antwerp, arriving too late to prevent the fall of the City, they
took up defensive position to help in the retreat.
Seeing action on the Western Front through 1914, 1915 and
into 1916, Arthur was Killed in Action on 11th July 1916, at the Battle of
the Somme (Battle of the Somme 1st July – 18th November
1916) he has not known grave, he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to
the missing on the Somme, France. Pier & Face 2C.
Additional Information
His effects of £21-15s-08d, pay owing and his war gratuity
of £11, went to his eldest brother Albert Hearn.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
