The Queens Own Royal West Kent R

The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Private A J Attwood

Photograph by Greg Matthews

Private Arthur John ATTWOOD, G/10534, 1st Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed in action, Flanders France, 9th May 1917.

17th February 1895, born Hackney, London, son of Arthur Harry & Emily Attwood, 87 Railway Grove, New Cross, London, SE14.

20th April 1895, Baptism, St Augustine, South Hackney - Arthur John Attwood, parents, Arthur Harry (porter?) & Emily Attwood, of 57 Digby Road, Homerton.

1911 Census - 82 Railway Grove, New Cross - Arthur Attwood, head, age 38, married, coalman loader, London, Brighton & South Coast Railway, born Gloucestershire; Emily Attwood, wife age 36, married 11 years, 6 children, 5 still alive, born Bainsbury, London; Arthur Attwood, son, age 16, single, District Messenger, Post Office, born Homerton, London; Frances Attwood, daughter, age 14, daily girl, domestic servant, born Bainsbury, London; Willie Attwood, son, age 12, milk boy, born Canonbury, London; George Attwood, son, age 6, born New Cross, Deptford; Charles Attwood, son, age, 2, born New Cross, Deptford; Annie Attwood, daughter, age 2, born New Cross, Deptford; William F Humphries, boarder, age 25, married, house painter, born Bristol.

Enlisted Deptford SE, age 20, height 5ft 9 inches, weight 114lbs, birthmark left hip, resided 87 Railway Grove, New Cross, London, SE14. Formerly bus cleaner.

29th October 1915, enlisted & posted 11th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 3rd May 1916, posted BEF; 15th September 1916, wounded in action; 23rd September 1916, to England per Hospital Ship Lanfranc; 23rd September 1916, posted Depot, Royal West Kent Regiment; 24th September 1916 to 4th November 1916, admitted to 1st London General Hospital, St Bartholomew's Hospital, with gun shot round to right buttock; 8th December 1916, posted Eastern Command Depot, Shoreham by Sea, Sussex; 16th January 1917, Shoreham, overstaying his pass, 3 days confined to Barracks; 4th March 1917, overstaying his pass whilst under orders for a draft from midnight until 12pm on 5th, 21 days Field Punishment No.2., forfeits 1 days pay; 7th March 1917, posted BEF & 1st Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment; 9th March embarked & disembarked in France; 28th March 1917, at Infantry Base Depot; 24th April 1917, joined Battalion, "A" Company; 15th November 1917, effects forwarded to Mother, 1 Halfpenny, 1 Farthing, 1 letter, photos, 1 purse & 1 wallet.

5th May 1918 statement made by Private G Hatch, 8298, 1st Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment, re the effects of Pte A J Attwood - "In reference to Pte Attwoods effects, he was killed in action on 9/5/17 whilst under heavy bombardment he died with concussion. There were several casualties at the time and after I had got them away, I took the effects from Pte Attwood which were a wrist-watch, ring (gold) autograph, money-purse but didn't know how much it contained pay-book and put them all in a bag. I showed them to Sergt Brydon who was platoon Sergt and told him I was going to send them to his mother as he was my pal and I promised him Id write to her if anything happened, but he said I was to hand them over to him as he had to give an account of them, and he would hand them over to Capt Press who as Company-Officer at the time. I am unable to give Sergt Brydon's Regimental No. as I didnt know it, he died of wounds in hospital at Cremona in Italy during the time I laid there sometime in March 1918."

8th May 1918 - description of watch and ring provided by Mrs Emily Attwood to The Records Office.

27th August 1919, Statement of Relatives - Father, Arthur Harry Attwood, 87 Railway Grove; Mother, Emily Attwood, 87 Railway Grove; Brothers - George Attwood, age 14, 87 Railway Grove, William Attwood, age 21, 87 Railway Grove; Sisters - Frances Bradbury, age 23, 87 Railway Grove, Anna Attwood, 87 Railway Grove, Ada Attwood, 87 Railway Grove.

Buried at Orchard Dump Cemetery, I.F.4., Pas de Calais, France.

This page was last updated on 30-Apr-2017.