Name
Arthur Frank Gurney Wells
1878
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
19/02/1919
40
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
024578
Royal Army Ordnance Corps
74th Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BLARGIES COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
I. G. 1.
France
Headstone Inscription
UNTIL THE DAY BREAK
UK & Other Memorials
Tring Town Memorial, St Peter & St Paul Church Roll of Honour, Tring, New Mill Baptist Church Memorial, Tring
Pre War
Arthur Frank Gurney Wells was born in 1878 in Tring to William Wells, labourer, and Caroline (nee Gurney).
On the 1881 Census the family of parents, Sarah Jane (born 1859), Elizabeth (born 1860), William (born 1864), George (born 1866), and Frederick (born 1870) were living at 36 Charles Street, Tring, where his father was working as a general labourer.
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, Annie (born1875), Florence (born 1877), Arthur, (canvas weavers assistant) Horace (born 1882) and James John (born 1887) were living at 36 Charles Street, Tring.
On the 1901 Census he was living at The Hillocks, Aylesbury Road, Tring. Arthur was listed with his father and sister Florence (dressmaker). The family were said to be lodgers of Harry Gurney and his wife Elizabeth. Arthur was then working as a tailor. (His mother was not listed with them and may have died in 1903 and his father died in 1906).
He married Lillie Clark in early 1905.
On the 1911 Census Arthur was a tailor and living at 31, Albert Street, Tring Tring with his wife and children Constance Gladys (born 1906) and Kathleen Lilian (born 1908). There would be a further Child Harold Arthur James (born 1915).
Wartime Service
Arthur joined up in November 1916 and initially served with the Rifle Brigade under ser. no. 1379, later being transferred to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps as Private 024578 where he worked as a regimental tailor. No Service record was found for Arthur. He went to France probably in 1917 to be posted to Blargies Sud near Amiens which was a large stores area for the Ordnance Corps supplying equipment , ammunition etc.
He died from influenza on 19 February 1919 at Stationary Hospital at Abancourt, France and is buried in Blargies Communal Cemetery Extension, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a War Gratuity of £13 and two payments of arrears totalling £13 9s 1d.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
Jonty Wild, tringlocalhistory.org.uk
