Gnr Robert Alfred ARNSBY, d. 18.06.18

[Stephen Nulty]

Gnr Robert Alfred ARNSBY, 73597 Royal Field Artillery, who died aged 19 on 18.06.18. Pernes British Cemetery, France

CWGC

Name: ARNSBY, ROBERT ALFRED

Initials: R A

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Gunner

Regiment: Royal Field Artillery

Unit Text: "D" Bty. 5th Army Bde.

Age: 19

Date of Death: 18/06/1918

Service No: 73597

Additional information: Son of Robert Henry Arnsby, of 64, Griffiths Rd., Wimbledon London.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: V. B. 22.

Cemetery: PERNES BRITISH CEMETERY

Cemetery Information

The cemetery was not begun until April 1918 when the 1st and 4th Canadian Casualty Clearing Stations came to Pernes, driven back by the German advance. In May, the 6th and 22nd Clearing Stations arrived and in August, they were joined by the 13th. Almost all the burials were made by these units, but a few of the graves were brought into the cemetery after the Armistice. There are now 1,075 First World War burials in this cemetery and 18 graves from the Second World War, all of the latter dating from 3/4 September 1944. The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

1901 Census

In this, Robert is 2 years old and lives with his parents at Brookhill Married Quarters in Woolwich where is father Robert, aged 31, is a Staff Sergeant in the Army Pay Corps. His father was born in Malta. His mother, Delia, is aged 23 and was born in Ireland. Also resident are sister Christina, aged 4, and brother Edmund, aged 2 months.

[Guest Pete Wood]

SDGW gives the following:

Born and enlisted in Woolwich

Died of Wounds

MIC here http://www.documentsonline.pro.gov.uk/deta...&resultcount=25

[Stephen Nulty]

Found details of Robert and the family at

http://www.arnsby.org/samuel/edmund/robert...en/02bobby.html

including several photographs of our man. It also states that he died of gas poisoning

SN

[Guest Pete Wood]

Stephen, as you started the thread, I wonder if you would please care to notify the relatives (the website to which you referred) that Gnr Arsnby is being remembered by the Great War Forum this day.

You may already have done this. If so, many thanks.

Did you notice that the colourised pic shows him as a L/Cpl....??

[Stephen Nulty]

RT

Yes, I had already emailed them to advise them of the posting, and also to tell them that I'd included a link which may result in increased traffic on their site. I haven't had a reply as yet.

I hadn't noticed the L/Cpl uniform, though. Strange??

SN

[rflory]

Because he was a Gunner wouldn't the rank be Bombardier, rather than Lance Corporal? My experience is that many gunners were appointed as Acting Unpaid (or Paid) Bombardiers for specific periods of time. Since this was an acting rank it was quite commonly given and taken away again in short periods of time. Regards. Dick Flory

[Guest Pete Wood]

Because he was a Gunner wouldn't the rank be Bombardier, rather than Lance Corporal? My experience is that many gunners were appointed as Acting Unpaid (or Paid) Bombardiers for specific periods of time. Since this was an acting rank it was quite commonly given and taken away again in short periods of time. Regards. Dick Flory

Actually, if it's post Feb 1918, I think the rank is Lance Bombardier.

But I take your point, and aplogise to the Gunners of the forum, for getting his rank wrong.