Name
Arthur William Titmus(s)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/10/1914
26
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
9374
Essex Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star (with Clasp & Roses), British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
STRAND MILITARY CEMETERY
Ploegsteert Wood, New Cemetery, Belgium.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT
UK & Other Memorials
St Faith’s Church, Walsworth Hitchin,
Hitchin Town Memorial (possibly),
Not on the Great Wymondley memorials
Not on the Stevenage memorials
Not on the Walsworth memorials
Pre War
Arthur was born in 1888, in Great Wymondley. The son of Eliza Ann Waldock. He was Baptised on the 14th October 1888, in Great Wymondley.
His mother, Eliza, married William Titmus of Great Wymondley on the 1st October 1889 in the Parish Church of Great Wymondley. The 1891 census records Arthur ‘Waldock’ aged 2, living with his parents, sister Elsie Titmus 1, and brother, William Titmus aged 1 month, at Wymondley Priory, Little Wymondley. The 1901 census records Arthur was now known as Arthur William ‘Titmus’, living with his parents, sister, Elsie 11, and brother Walter 4, at 87 Chingford Road, Walthamstow, Essex.
On the 18th February 1907, Arthur enlisted into the Essex Regiment. Then the 1911 census records Arthur aged 22, as a Private in the Army (1st Battalion, Essex Regiment), stationed in Quetta Baluchistan, India. His occupation is given as Acting Bandsman.
Wartime Service
It is assumed Arthur was still serving in the Army when War was declared, as his Medal Card indicates he entered the Theatre of War on the 22nd August 1914. Arthur was Killed in Action just two months later on the 21st October 1914, at Le Gheer, he was buried at the time in Ploegsteert Wood, New Cemetery, with eleven comrades all killed on the 21st October 1914. Their graves were destroyed in later Battles. There is now a special memorial to the eleven in Strand Military Cemetery.
With the inscription “THEIR GLORY SHALL NOT BE BLOTTED OUT”.
The 2nd Battalion was part of the 12th Brigade in the 4th Division of the 3rd Corps in the Battles of Messines. On the 20th October the 12th Brigade was driven from the village of Le Gheer, north of Frelinghien on the River Lys and south of Messines. The German advance threatened the centre and right of 3rd Corps. A counter attack was ordered and the enemy driven from the village with heavy loss by the Essex Regiment and the Lancashire Fusiliers on the 21st October.
Additional Information
His personal inscription on the headstone reads: “Son of Eliza A. Titmus, of Walsworth, Hitchin”.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
