Name
Arthur Akers
10 Dec 1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
13/03/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
17353
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MENIN ROAD SOUTH MILITARY CEMETERY
I. L. 9.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Hertford Heath Village Memorial, Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Little Amwell
Pre War
Arthur was born in Little Amwell on 10 Dec 1887 to Rose Akers.
On the 1891 Census Arthur was living at Goat Row, Little Amwell with William and Charles J Gray and his mother Rose, who had married William on 29 Jul 1888. On the 1901 Census the family had been joined by William (born 1894) and were living at The Street, Little Amwell, Hertford Heath. Arthur, aged 13, was working as a cowman on a farm.
Wartime Service
Arthur enlisted in the Bedfordshire Regiment as Private 17353. There are no Service Records for him but this must have been in 1914 as Arthur went to France on 10 Oct 1915 to join the 8th (Service) Battalion, who had arrived in France on 30 Aug 1915.
This battalion was transferred to 16 Brigade of 6th Division and were in the Ypres area through the winter of 1915/1916. At some time Arthur was promoted to Lance Corporal. The Battalion War Diary records a death on 13 Mar 1916, there are no details but this is highly likely to have been Arthur.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £6 and arrears of £5 17s 1d was paid to his Mother (Rose Gray). His step Brother Charles Gray served as Private 23471 Loyal North Lancashire Regiment and was killed in action on 9 Aug 1917.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild
