Name
Arthur Steeley
1887
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
07/10/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
4803(*1)
London Regiment (Post Office Rifles)
1/8th (City of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 9 C and 9 D.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin, Not on the Letchworth memorials
Pre War
Arthur was born in 1887 in Hitchin and christened on 31 August 1887 in Hitchin. His parents were Alfred and Mary A Steeley and (née).
In 1891 the family were living at Gascoine’s Yard, Queen Street, Hitchin. Present were both parents: Alfred (40) and Mary (41), with Alfred working as a bricklayer’s labourer. Their children were: Charles (15), Mary A (11), Emma (9), Annie (7), Arthur (4) and Harry at 10 months.
By 1901 the family had moved to 4 Davis’ Alley, Queen Streetx, Hitchin. Present were both parents and Alfred still working as a bricklayer’s labourer. Their children listed were now Arthur, 13 and a harness maker’s apprentice, Harry and their new sister Jessie (8).
Arthur married Ellen Mansell (b 12/3/1888) in 1908 in Hitchin and in June their first daughter, Hilda Louisa, was born on 30 June 1908.
By 1911 the Arthur, Ellen and Hilda were living at 2 Telegraph Place, Hitchin with the Ellen’s parents,. Arthur was now working as a postman. They had another daughter. Dorothy Marie (b 1/6/1913).
Apparently Arthur was a skilled saddler but later became a postman in Hitchin.
Officially he was recorded as born in Hitchin and was living in Letchworth when he enlisted in London.
Wartime Service
Arthur was posted to the 8th (City of London) Battalion of the London Regiment known as the Post Office Rifles which, at the time of his death, was in the 140th Brigade of the 47th Division. He went to France in June 1915 and bore the Regimental Number 4803(*1).
He was first reported as missing, but later as killed in action during an attack on Snag Trench in front of the Butte de Warlencourt in the Somme Sector. Two Companies of the Battalion were almost completely wiped out on the 7th October 1916, only seven men surviving. The overall casualties for the Battalion on that day were 411 which was over half the fighting strength of the whole Battalion.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Pier and Face 9C or 9D on the great Thiepval Memorial to the Missing in France.
Additional Information
After his death £2 2s 2d pay owing was authorised to go to his widow on 19 September 1917. Later, a war gratuity of £3 was authorised to be paid to her on 6 October 1919.
His pension cards record Ellen Steeley, his widow, as his next of kin/dependant, living at 2 Telegraph Place, Hitchin. She was awarded a grant of £5 and then a pension of 22s 11d a week from 28 May 1917.
His wife Ellen known as Eleanor or Nell died in 1949 and is buried in Hitchin Cemetery and the stone mentions that her husband was killed in action on October 7th 1917 (Hitchin Cemetery grave NW 320). A family story relates that the two daughters at one time attended a spiritualist meeting and were told that their father had died in the war through stepping on a landmine and was blown to pieces.
*1 He is recorded against service number 4803, however his medal rolls index cards records that he had been renumbered to 372256.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
