Name
Arthur Springham
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
04/11/1917
39
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
DM2/179044
Army Service Corps
773rd MTC, (33rd Motor Amb. Convoy)
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BAGHDAD (NORTH GATE) WAR CEMETERY
XVI. F. 10.
Iraq
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
High Wych Village Memorial, Gilston Village Memorial, Not on the Sawbridgeworth memorials
Pre War
Arthur was born on the 7th July 1878 and baptised at High Wych, Herts on 11 August 1878, one of 16 children born to John and Emma Springham.
In the 1881 Census living at 5 Johnsons Cottage, Sawbridgeworth, father agriculttural labourer and then in 1891 were in High Wych, Sawbridgeworth. In 1901 living with his brother Albert as boarders at 27 Eleanor Road, Cheshunt, they were both working as machinists at the Royal Gun Powder factory. Strangely his parents and young sibling Edith, age 2, were living next door at no. 29.
On the 2nd August 1902 Arthur married Alice Wright and in 1911 they were living together at The Manor House Stables in Lindfield, Sussex. Arthur was working as a Gardener – Domestic.
He was recorded as born in Sawbridgeworth and living in Harlow, Essex when he enlisted in Brighton.
Wartime Service
He enlisted at Brighton and served with the Army Service Corps. From March 1917. Private A Springham was a soldier in the 773rd MT Coy. (33rd Motor Ambulance Convoy) of the Army Service Corps.
The Company was formed on the 4th August 1916 and on the 6th September 1916 set off for the Middle East arriving in Basra, Mesopotamia (now known as Iraq) five weeks later. On the 1st November 1917 the company were in quarantine in Bagdad, as Smallpox had broken out, by the 4th there were at least 11 cases of the disease and on that day one man (probably Arthur) died in the Isolation Hospital from smallpox contracted on active service.
Additional Information
After his Arthur’s death his wife remarried and was recorded as Mrs A. Emberson of Kingsmoor Rd., Great Darndon, Harlow, Essex. She married Frederick Emberson in 1922 and died in 1980 aged 99. His widow, Alice, received a war gratuity of £6 and pay owing of £10 0s 11d. She also received a pension of 13 s 9d a week from 13 May 1918. Her address was given as Manor House Cottages, Lindfield, Sussex.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild, Anthony, Paul Johnson
