Name
Arthur Richard Needham
23 Sep 1885
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
29/09/1915
29
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
7489
Scots Guards
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LOOS MEMORIAL
Panel 8 and 9.
France
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Potters Bar memorials
Pre War
Arthur Richard Needham was born on 23 Sep 1885 in Potters Bar to John Needham, farm labourer, and Jane (nee Wright).
On the 1901 Census the family of parents, Arthur (grocer’s assistant), Alice (born 1889) and Walter (born 1894) were living at Williams Yard, Deans Street, Oakham, Rutland.
Arthur enlisted at Keighley Yorkshire, He had been working as a Grocery Assistant (butter man) with Home & Colonial Stores there and left without notice on 27 Sep 1909, attesting for the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards as Private 7489 (he was 5 feet 11 inches tall).
Arthur transferred to 1st Battalion on 1 Feb 1911 extending his service to 7 years with the Colours, serving in Egypt from 25 Feb 1911 to 1 Jan 1913.
On the 1911 Census Arthur was recorded serving with 1st Battalion Scots Guards in Egypt. His widowed mother and Walter (grocery assistant) were living at Deans Street, Oakham, Rutland.
Arthur married Ada Valerie Lister in 1914, there would be a daughter Irene Alice born 2 Apr 1915.
Wartime Service
Following the outbreak of the Great War Arthur and his Battalion went to France departing from Southampton and landing at Le Havre on 13 Aug 1914 as part of the original British Expeditionary Force. They took part in the Battle of and the subsequent retreat to the Marne, the Battles of Marne and Aisne before they were deployed to the Ypres Sector. It was during the 1st Battle of Ypres (19 Oct-22 Nov 1914) on 14 Nov 1914 that Arthur sustained a Gun Shot Wound to his left thigh and after treatment at 1 Casualty Clearing Station St Omer and at 13 General Hospital, Boulogne he was evacuated to UK on, 13 Gen Hosp 15 Nov and evacuated to UK on 23 Nov 1914.
While under treatment Arthur was transferred to 3rd (Reserve) Battalion on 17 Dec 1914 until he returned to Duty with 2nd Battalion on 24 May 1915 in the BEF. The 2nd Battalion were part of 2 Brigade, Guards division and fought At the Battle of Loos (25 Sep-15 Oct 1915). During the fighting of 26 -29 Sep Arthur was recorded as Missing, his death was presumed as killed in action on 29 Sep 1915. He is remembered on the Loos Memorial.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £6 and arrears of £7 8s 5d was paid to his widow.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
