Name
William J Arbon
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/03/1918
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
36306
East Yorkshire Regiment
10th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 4 and 5.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hertford Town Memorial, Stevenage (Old Town) Memorial, St Nicholas' Church Memorial, Stevenage Old Town, Holy Trinity Church Memorial Roll of Honour, Stevenage Old Town, Not on the St Albans memorials
Pre War
Born in 1891 in St Albans (or Hertford) son of William and Annie (Prince) Arbon and lodged with the Petts family in 14 Russia Court, Hertford in 1911. He married Daisy Petts in Shoreditch on 19 Feb 1916.
He enlisted in the Army in September 1911 at the age of 19 years and 2 months.
Wartime Service
Initially, he served in the 2nd Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers (10816) but was transferred to the Army Cyclist Corps as Private 1278 on the 8th January 1915.
He was admitted to hospital on the 26th August 1915 suffering with Diphtheria and whilst at No.7 General Hospital he contracted German Measles. Eventually, on the 2nd October 1915 he was evacuated home on the S.S.Anglia to make a recovery in the UK. It was to be over a year before he was fit and well enough to return to duty and on the 23rd November 1916 William was transferred to the East Yorkshire Regiment.
On the 11th December he was posted back to France and after arriving at No.37 Base Depot he was attached to the 10th Battalion, eventually joining them on the 17th December 1916. William served with the Battalion throughout 1917 and the early part or 1918. On the 24th March 1918 the Battalion were located near the village of Ervillers.
He was seen by his comrades to be hit by enemy fire but they were unable to maintain contact with him and his body was never recovered. William has no known grave and his name is recorded on the Arras Memorial.
Additional Information
www.stevenageatwar.com
Acknowledgments
Gareth Hughes, Malcolm Lennox, Paul Johnson
