Name
Arthur William Carrington(*1)
1883
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
10/08/1917
35
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
16430
Coldstream Guards
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ETAPLES MILITARY CEMETERY
XXV. M. 15A.
France
Headstone Inscription
JESUS HIMSELF IS OUR LEADER AS WE WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY IN PEACE
UK & Other Memorials
Hemel Hempstead Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Memorial, Hemel Hempstead
Pre War
Arthur William Carrington was born in 1883 in Hemel Hempstead, Herts, the son of James and Ellen Carrington, and was baptised there on 20 June 1883 at St Mary's church in the town. He was one of eight children, although one died in infancy.
On the 1891 Census the family were living at Bennetts End, Hemel Hempstead, where his father was working as a Farm Labourer and his older brother William was a Militiaman. They later moved to 15 Cherry Bounce, Hemel Hempstead which was just off the High Street.
He left school in 1896 and started work as a Farm Labourer at nearby Handpost Farm. To supplement his wages he enlisted in the 4th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment, which was a Militia unit, and attended two annual camps until 1900 when he was nineteen and old enough to serve overseas. In January he was embodied and went to Dublin where the regular army unit of 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment was based. He joined the Militia Reserve on 17 February 1900 and a few days later set sail for South Africa and the 2nd Boer War.
Because of his Militia service he was not living at home on the 1901 Census, but his parents and siblings were recorded at 14 Cherry Bounce, Hemel Hempstead. Despite his previously good conduct, during his active service in 1901 Arthur was subject to a number of punishments, eventually resulting in 56 days' imprisonment (reason unknown). At the end of the war he was disembodied and sent back to England and discharged in 1904 having served his time (four years).
He married Ann Forsdick on 10 June 1906 at Marlowes Chapel, Hemel Hempstead (the Wesleyan Methodist Church) and on the 1911 Census they were living at 28 Cherry Bounce, Hemel Hempstead. Arthur was working as a General Labourer and his wife was a Stationery Worker at the local paper mills. She had given birth to two children, but sadly they had both died. His father died in 1912 aged 81 and his older brother William also died in 1912 aged 37.
Arthur and his wife were living at 39 Queen Street when he enlisted and his widow later gave her address as 61 Queen Street, Hemel Hempstead.
Wartime Service
Arthur re-enlisted with his old regiment at the outbreak of war and was sent to Aldershot for training and mobilisation, however he was discharged a short time later as "undesirable" because of disciplinary problems, when he was charged for using abusive and obscene language on at least two occasions, one of which was addressed to the Company Sergeant Major. (N.B. his brother Alfred was also punished on a number of occasions during his military service, including disobeying an order and striking an NCO). However, he tried to join up again and volunteered in July 1915 in Watford to serve with the Coldstream Guards.
He was posted to the 2nd Battalion and drafted to the Western Front in 1916, where he took part in the heavy fighting on the Somme, at Arras and Ypres. He fought in the Battle of Pilckem Ridge in July and August where he was wounded and evacuated to the St John Ambulance Brigade Hospital in Etaples where he died of his wounds on 10 August 1917. He is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, France.
Additional Information
His widow received and war gratuity of £9 and pay owing of £13 12s 3d. She also received a pension of 13s 9d a week. His widow Annie did not remarry and was living at 39 Queen Street, Hemel Hempstead in 1939 and gave her occupation as 'Salvation Army Worker'. His wife, Mrs A Carrington, 39 Queen Street, Hemel Hempstead, Herts., ordered his headstone inscription: "JESUS HIMSELF IS OUR LEADER AS WE WALK THROUGH THE VALLEY IN PEACE". His brothers James and Alfred served in the Bedfordshire Regiment and survived the war.
*1 When the headstone photograph was taken in 2023 it appeared to read Garrington not Carrington. The latter is how the name appears in CWGC records
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.dacorumheritage.org.uk, www.hemelatwar.org. www.hemelheroes.com.
