Name
Arthur Scales
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
24/09/1917
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
G/15535
Royal Sussex Regiment
11th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 86 & 88.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Essendon War Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, Essendon, Not on the Hatfield memorials
Pre War
Arthur was born in 1891 in Hatfield, Herts. Son of Joseph and Ann Scales.
The 1901 Census shows Arthur aged 10 years living with his Parent and 4 Brothers, in Essendon, Herts. and in the 1911 Census, Arthur, aged 19 years was living with his Widowed Mother and 2 Brothers, in Essendon, Herts. His occupation is given as a Cowman on Farm. He was employed by Messer’s Norton & Son, Builders of Essendon, Herts. Prior to enlisting.
Wartime Service
Arthur enlisted initially in the 1st/1st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment with the service number 3787. Then he was transferred to the 11th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment with the service number G/15535.
Arthur was Killed in Action on the 24th September 1917; He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium. An article in the Herts Advertiser of the 1st December 1917, reads: “Pte Arthur Scales, a great chum of Corporal Taylor, also an employee of Messer’s Norton & Son, was killed in action during recent heavy fighting”. A letter sent to his mother reads: “He was buried by one of his comrades and a cross now marks his grave your son was killed by a shell and must have died instantly and was without pain. He was an excellent soldier and very popular with all”. His brother David Scales died of wounds on the 19th January 1915. His great chum Corporal Taylor was shot by a sniper on the 30th October 1917. CWGC Inscription Reads: “Son of Mrs A. Scales, of Essendon, Hatfield, Herts”.
Acknowledgments
Sue and Colin Rees, Stuart Osborne
