Name
Arthur Henry Rance
1884
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/06/1918
33
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Corporal
66504
Machine Gun Corps (Infantry)
62nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BIENVILLERS MILITARY CEMETERY
XXI. C. 6.
France
Headstone Inscription
GOD HOLDS THE KEY OF ALL UNKNOWN
UK & Other Memorials
Tring Town Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Tring, New Mill Baptist Church, Tring, We are not aware of any Bulbourne memorial
Pre War
Arthur Henry Rance was born in Tring in 1884, the son of Henry and Mary Rance (nee Kent).
On the 1891 Census he was living at the home of his grandparents William and Ruth Kent, along with his mother and another grandson Frederick Charles Kent. aged 18. His 71 year old grandfather was on parish relief and his mother was working as a dressmaker.
He worked for eight years as an assistant in the drapers and outfitters shop of Mr E K Fulks in Tring and was well known in the town and held in high esteem. He was later said to be in business in London which he disposed of when he enlisted.
Arthur married Alice Bovington on 26 August 1911 at New Mill Baptist Church, Tring (and honeymooned at Leigh-on-Sea, Essex). They lived at 32 Manor Park, south east London.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in August 1916 in Lewisham, south east London, and initially joined the London Regiment (Reg. No. 6745), later transferring to the 62nd Battalion, Machine Gun Corps (Infantry). He was sent to France in March 1917.
Arthur was killed in action, hit by a shell, on 9 June 1918, aged 33, and is buried in Bienvillers Military Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £9 10s and pay owing of £16 6s 3d. She also received a pension of 15 shillings a week.
Mrs A Rance, Glenside, Bulborne, Tring, Herts. ordered his headstone inscription, which reads: "GOD HOLDS THE KEY OF ALL UNKNOWN".
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, tringlocalhistory.org.uk
