Name
Arthur Thurley
1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
21/07/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
3/8226
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
POTIJZE CHATEAU WOOD CEMETERY
B. 24.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford Town Memorial, Holy Trinity Church Memorial, Bishop's Stortford, All Saints Church Memorial(s), Hockerill
Pre War
Arthur Thurley was born in 1880 in Bishop's Stortford to Aaron Thurley, labourer, and Eliza (nee Yardley) and was baptised at Holy Trinity, Bishop's Stortford on 30 May 1880.
On the 1881 Census the family of parents, Joseph (born 1869, George (born 1871), Alice (born 1873), Walter (born 1878) and Arthur were living at Castle Street, New Town Road.
On the 1891 Census, still living at Castle Street, New Town Road, consisted of parents, Joseph, George, Walter, Arthur, Ellen (born 1882), Rose (born 1885) and James (born 1887). Arthur’s mother died in 1893.
Arthur married Ellen Clarke (Nellie) in 1904 at Bishop's Stortford and on the 1911 Census they were living at 7 Grove Place, New Town Road, Bishop's Stortford and had two children, Alfred Arthur (born 1905) and Thomas William (born 1909). His widowed father Aaron was also living with them. Arthur was working as a Maltster.
Wartime Service
No Service Record was found for Arthur. He may have volunteered in Sep 1914 as Private 3/8226 in the Bedfordshire, 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion at Bishop’s Stortford. Serial number 7932 was issued on 10 Sep and 8608 on 2 Oct 1914.
Arthur may have served in the Bedford Militia as Private 3149 and being discharged as time expired (4 Years) in 1907. He was posted to 8th (Service) Battalion and went with them to France on 30 Aug 1915. The Battalion were rushed to act as reserve for the Battle of Loos and were in action on 28 Sep sustaining over 4000 casualties. At some Arthur was promoted to the rank of Serjeant. He was killed in action on 21 Jul 1916.
Additional Information
His widow received a War Gratuity of £11 10s and arrears of £6 8s 10d. She also received a pension of 19s 6d a week for herself and her two children. N.B. The surname Thurley is often mis-transcribed as Shurley or Theorley.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer, Neil Cooper
