Name
Arthur Reynolds (1)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
231762
Royal Army Service Corps
373rd Motor Transport Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
The name Arthur Reynolds appears twice in the Parish Magazine, once in February 1917, recording one Arthur Reynolds as being ‘called up’ since the last list, and then in November 1918, recording another Arthur Reynolds as ‘joined up lately’ and serving in the Army Service Corps (ASC). This suggests that there were two men with the same name and it is possible to identify two possible men from baptism records. One Arthur appears on the School War Memorial, confirming that at least one of the men attended the school.
As there is a considerable difference in age between the two men, it was originally assumed that the early entry would refer to the older man and vice versa. However, the discovery of the official service record for one of the men contradicts this and raises questions as to whether there were in fact two men. This is because the latter Parish Magazine entry refers to the ASC, but the service record confirms that the younger man was in the ASC and that he was called to service in October 1916. This would seem to reflect the earlier Parish Magazine report. This could simply mean that the later Parish Magazine is wrong, but as it is still possible that both men served and both served in the ASC, they are included here.
This Arthur was born on April 5th 1897 to Frank and Elizabeth Reynolds. Baptism and census records list six children, but by 1911 two had died. At this time only five can be identified with certainty; they are Lillian (b 1881), Annie (bapt 1885), Charles (b 1887), Frederick (b 1894) and Arthur (b 1897). Frederick also served and survived.
Arthur was working as a coach builder when he enlisted and, at nineteen, was called to service on October 11th 1916, becoming Private 231762 in the Army Service Corps (ASC). He was given the opportunity to learn to drive and passed his test on January 21st 1917, becoming a lorry driver in the Motor Transport Corps (MTC) of the ASC. It appears that he served entirely on home service.
Between January and March 1917 he drove lorries in the 12th Company, then to August 1918 was listed as an MTC driver in the 804 MTC ASC Darlington.
The Hertfordshire Express of April 13th 1918 reports that Arthur was serving in the ‘Transports’ in Wiltshire. The report confirms his parents as Mr and Mrs Frank Reynolds, who lived in Handscombe Cottages, Burge End - the row of terraced cottages in Shillington Road and that his elder brother, Frederick, was also serving. In the Absent Voters’ List of 1918 his home address was confirmed as the same as his brother Frederick’s, 1 Handscombe's Cottages, Burge End.
He spent a brief period to the middle of September 1918 with the 7th Company, before moving to the 728th MTC, which conveniently for Arthur operated out of Hitchin until April 1919. After a short gap, presumably leave, he moved to the 373rd MTC and remained with them until he was demobilised on December 25th 1919 as Private 231762, 373rd Motor Transport Company, RASC (Royal Army Service Corps). At that time he was recorded as having a thirty percent disablement, due to DAH (Disordered Action of the Heart), and received a provisional award of 12s 0d per week.
Acknowledgments
Text from the book ‘The Pride of Pirton’ by Jonty Wild, Tony French & Chris Ryan used with author's permission
