Name
Arthur Langton Airy
3 May 1876
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
11/01/1915
39
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Northamptonshire Regiment
3rd Bn., attached 1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panel 28 to 30.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Bushey memorials, Aldeburgh Lodge School Memorial Tablet, (St Peter & St Paul's Church, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, Worthing War Memorial, Sussex, Heene War Memorial, St Botolphs Church, Heene Road, Worthing, Woodbridge School War Memorial, Woodbridge, Suffolk
Pre War
Arthur Langton Airy was born on 3 May 1876 in Kidbrook, Kent, the son of Hubert and Susan Airy (nee Langton), and baptised on 4 June 1876 at St James' Church, Kidbrook, Kent, not far from Greenwich, where his grandfather, Sir George Biddell Airy, was Astronomer Royal at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, from 1835 to 1881.
On the 1881 Census the family were living at 15 Sussex Gardens, Terminus Road, Eastbourne and by 1891 Arthur was a 14 year old scholar boarding at Eaton House School, (later Aldeburgh Lodge) in Aldeburgh Suffolk. He attended Herkomer's Art School in Bushey, Herts from 1896 and between 1899 and 1912 was a member of the Ipswich Art Club. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1904 until 1910.
He joined the army with the Northamptonshire Regiment in 1900, but retired with the rank of Lieutenant on the death of his father in 1903. He married Grace Watson Wood (the daughter of the Rector of Easton) on 17 June 1903 at All Saints Church, Easton, Suffolk. Arthur's profession was then recorded as 'Artist'. Their son Hubert Arthur was born in 1904 and son Jack Langton was born in 1906. They were living at 10 Stafford Mansions, Battersea, Wandsworth at the time of Jack's baptism in February 1907.
By 1911 they had moved to Worthing, Sussex and were living at South Lodge, Broadwater Road. Arthur's occupation was then recorded as Artist and they employed three domestic servants. In 1915 Arthur was listed on the electoral register living at Hillcot, Shakespeare Road, Worthing, Sussex.
His parents lived in Woodbridge, Suffolk and his widow later lived at 103A, Gloucester Road, South Kensington, London.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of the First World War he re-enlisted with the Northampton Regiment, 1st Battalion and served in France from 27 November 1914 with his previous rank of Lieutenant.
Arthur was killed in action near Givenchy on 11 January 1915. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Le Touret Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His widow obtained probate of his estate in London on 31 March with effects of £14,863 9s 0d. She received pay owing of £54 162 2d.
Acknowledgments
Andrew Palmer, Brenda Palmer
Bushey First World War Commemoration Project, Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk,
Jonty Wild,
